The Minnesota Department of Corrections has concluded that the Freeborn County Jail is not in compliance with some state requirements. The agency’s annual inspection found problems in the congestion and age of the facility.

The state stipulates that 35 inmates is the operational capacity of the 42-bed jail. But the average daily population in recent years has been between 39 and 42, the report says. Jail Administrator Steve Westland said there were 48 inmates last Monday morning.

The overpopulation made it impossible to segregate and classify inmates as the law requires.

The report stated, &uot;When the facility operates at high populations, typically, the next person that enters the facility is placed into the only bed available, which may not meet the person’s individual needs.&uot;

It also referred to the waiting list.

On Feb. 3, when the inspection was conducted, there were 71 people on the waiting list and nine boarded out to other facilities. That means there were enough potential inmates to fill 125 beds on that day, the report said.

The county has contracted with Meeker County to rent its jail beds for $50 a day per inmate.

Plumbing is another problem, the report emphasized.

&uot;The facility requires plumbing maintenance two or three times per week,&uot; it said. &uot;Due to the age of the facility and the plumbing fixtures, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find replacement parts, and when they can be found, they are becoming more costly.&uot;

Westland said an extensive overhaul had not been done because of pending discussions on the new jail construction. The state agency ordered correctional actions, but Westland replied that the county would wait for the completion of the new facility.

Construction on the new courthouse addition, which will include a new jail, is now getting underway.