Yakima County is renting beds at the county jail again. It is been years since the bed rental business fell off and left the county without needed funding. But Tuesday the county approved a 7 hundred thousand dollar contract with the city of Fife to house its inmates beginning next month. Commissioner Rand Elliot says “I hope this contract fills a gap we have been dealing with for many years”

Elliot is referring to a more than million dollar deficit the county has been working under since the bed rental business fell off years ago. He and the other commissioners hope the new contract will help prop up the county budget.

The Commissioners say they have agreed to house 30 to 35 prisoners from Fife. The number of prisoners could grow which means the contract could be worth more in the future.

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