The Dallas City Council agreed Wednesday to pay Dallas County for jail services after a monthlong delay and approved an $8.7 million annual contract for housing and processing people arrested by Dallas police.
The decision follows weeks of debate over performance measures and city concerns about delays in the jail intake process.
The council voted on Sept. 24 to send the proposal to its public safety committee for review after concerns led by council member Cara Mendelsohn, the committee’s chair, about delays officers experience while dropping people off at the jail, the existing contract’s performance standards and a 10% cost increase.
The public safety committee on Oct. 14 recommended paying the October installment while city staff work with the county to develop new performance metrics, a process that could take up to six months, according to Dominique Artis, the city’s chief of public safety.
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County Judge Clay Lewis Jenkins told The Dallas Morning News last month that jail services for Dallas would continue despite the city postponing the payment, but he disputed claims about intake delays.
City officials said Wednesday that Dallas won’t have to pay any interest on its first payment.
The dispute echoes a 2022 conflict when Dallas withheld payments for over a year, citing overcharges. That stalemate ended with a new payment formula based on actual usage and a quarterly committee to address issues.
The city’s payment will cover services through September 2026, with further negotiations expected on performance measures.
The City Council also separately approved a two-year, $20,000 agreement with Dallas County to continue providing public health services for the city through September 2027.