Grayson County will keep paying Cooke County to hold some of its inmates for at least the next several months, even as a new wing of the county jail in downtown Sherman nears completion.
Commissioners renewed the interlocal agreement Monday as part of their consent agenda, and the signed contract is now part of the meeting record. It covers Oct. 1, 2026, through Sept. 30, 2027.
What the county pays
Cooke County charges $70 a day for each Grayson County inmate held at its jail in Gainesville, according to the contract. Any part of a day counts as a full day, with one exception: an inmate booked in after 5 p.m. and taken out before noon the next morning is billed for the arrival day only.
The beds are used only when needed and only when Cooke has room. Grayson decides whether to send anyone, Cooke decides whether to accept, and the deal does not keep either county from making other arrangements.
Beyond the daily rate, Grayson County pays for its inmates' dental, medical and mental health care, lab work and prescriptions, at the same rates Cooke County would pay. Routine medical care is included in the $70. Grayson also handles all non-emergency transportation and must supply its own guard if an inmate needs more than four hours in a hospital.
The agreement does not renew on its own. Any new term, or any change in price, needs approval from both commissioners courts, and either county can end it with 30 days' written notice.
