A Better
Contract
IS Possible.
Approved unanimously on October 20, 2026
The Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners approved a new jail phone and video contract. Phone calls drop from 18¢ to 7¢ a minute, and the county will not take a single cent from calls or video visits. Thank you to the commissioners, the Sheriff's Office, and everyone who spoke up.
What the New Contract Means for Families
Staying in touch with someone in the county jail will cost far less, and none of that money goes to the county. Phone calls will even cost less than in Michigan's state prisons, which pay 7.35¢ a minute.
Phone calls, per minute
Video visits, per minute
County's share of call money
Good to know
The Sheriff's Office said no to 2¢ a minute
The contract offered the option to collect 2¢ on every call and video minute, about $62,000 a year. That would have made calls 9¢. The Sheriff's Office declined, so calls stay at 7¢.
Free calls and messages every month
Every person in the jail gets one free 5-minute call and 8 free messages each month. Extra messages cost 25¢ each.
The $25,000 tech grant
The contract lists a one-time $25,000 tech grant. The Sheriff's Office told the Board it may or may not be used, and should not be counted as county money.
Contract details
Five Requests,
One Contract
CCJT brought five requests to the county before the vote. Most were met or beaten. One, a notice about leftover account balances when people leave jail, is still open.
Full Transparency on All Contract Terms
The full contract was public before the vote, a big change from 2020. We would still like to see rates, fees and any money the county receives published every year.
Balance Notification at Release
This is handled by the jail, not the contract. CCJT asked the Board on October 20 for written notice at release explaining how to get leftover money back.
End Site Commissions and Signing Bonuses
No commission on calls, and the Sheriff's Office declined the optional 2¢ a minute. The $25,000 one-time tech grant may or may not be used.
Require Rates at or Below $0.10 Per Minute
Phone calls drop from 18¢ to 7¢ a minute, below our 10¢ ask and below the state prison rate.
Prohibit Ancillary Fees
No extra fees are listed in the contract's pricing, and federal rules now ban them. The contract does not include its own written ban.