Continuing his history as being something of an innovator when it comes to running his jail, Burnett County Jail administrator Terry Nesvold is experimenting with something new — an honor dorm.

"It's for low-risk, minimal maintenance inmates who would get extra privileges," Nesvold pointed out. "It would give the other inmates something to shoot for."

"My state jail inspector, Scott Morris, knows what we are trying to do here as far as finding ways to save money and he pointed out the fact that with the square footage we had in the cell block, we could add another bunk," Nesvold explained.

Following the latest jail inspection in May, Nesvold wrote for and was granted permission to place an additional inmate in the dorm.

"Scott told me to consider it a reward for always being in compliance during jail inspections," Nesvold continued.

With the authorization to add an additional bunk to one of his cell blocks, Nesvold determined he would create an honor dorm in the jail.

He admits it is a new idea and there are only a few of these dorms in the state.

"I think this is a good idea," Nesvold declared. "It could really help some of our inmates."

If the behavior of an inmate constitutes being moved to the honor dorm, Nesvold believes it will help them prepare for returning to society.

"It'll help them get acclimated to the extra privileges," he added.

The extra privileges might include an extra hour of TV each day or an extra night of "street" food. The jail already has "Street Food Friday," where inmates, if they have enough cash in their canteen account, are allowed to order burgers or pizza from a local establishment for their evening meal.

"I concur with you that this is an excellent opportunity to initiate a new program whereby inmates have additional flexibility along with additional privileges," Morris wrote in his letter of approval to Nesvold earlier this month.

In addition to the positives such an innovation could bring to the lives of the inmates, it also represents a savings to the county.

"By giving us room in our jail for one additional inmate, at $40 per day, it'll save us $14,000 a year in out-of-county jail costs because we won't have to house that inmate in Polk County," Sheriff Dean Roland explained.

Because he is planning to institute the change Aug. 1, Nesvold pointed out there's five months of savings this year no one counted on. And, because he has money is his budget for the additional furniture required for the change, there's no additional cost to the taxpayer.

Nesvold said it will also create more income from the purchase of more phone cards and canteen purchases.