Hays County commissioners heard a presentation from Burnet County representatives on Oct. 7 about potential options for housing Hays inmates in Burnet County's jail.

Hays County's jail has been dealing with overcrowding issues in recent months. In the summer the county began considering a possible November bond to help fund construction of a new jail facility, but the court ultimately decided November would be too soon to try to pass a bond.

Burnet County Judge Donna Klaeger said she believes both counties could benefit from working together.

"It's very easy for us to take a different jurisdiction and keep your inmates separate from everyone else," Klaeger said.

The Burnet County jail can accommodate up to 587 beds, while the Hays County Jail can only hold up to 362. Because of Texas Commission on Jail Standards rules, the Hays County Jail tries to keep the population below 311. Burnet County currently houses inmates for Gillespie, Lampasas and Blanco counties, among others.

Klaeger estimated that it would cost about $50 per day per inmate for Burnet County to take in Hays inmates.

Hays County began sending inmates to the Guadalupe County Jail in the summer because of overcrowding issues. Hays County Sheriff Gary Cutler said it costs the county about $50 per day per inmate to house inmates in Guadalupe County.

Between 2009 and 2010, the county spent $954,350 outsourcing inmates to Guadalupe County, according to county figures. That practice ended two years later after Cutler took over.

The county is considering its options and could potentially partner with the city of San Marcos on a new law enforcement center and a new jail at the site of the existing jail.

"We are looking at a full slate of many different options," Precinct 3 Commissioner Will Conley said. "We may decide to go collectively with the sheriff in one direction or quite potentially have many different solutions to accommodate our population here in Hays County."