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A contract for web design and marketing between Lighthouse Web Designs, LLC and the Washington County Sheriff's Office was approved by the Washington County Commissioners on Monday.

Sheriff Scott Owen said the contract is one of the add-ons that came with the Sheriff Department's new inmate phone system. He said the website was included in the agreement that was approved with Tele-coin Company in June.

The cost Washington County will incur for the domain of the website is $600. The benefit is coming from the inmate phone system, which will modernize the Sheriff's Office with a new website that the public can access.

Sheriff Owen said the website will allow the public to see if someone they know is incarcerated or not. He said the website will be updated every two to four hours to accurately show the inmate population at the Washington County Detention Center in Bartlesville.

The new system is also expected to reduce phone calls and make the booking process at the jail more efficient. Sheriff Owen said the website will include interactive features. He said they hope the website will allow for an interactive reporting system as well.

Overall, Sheriff Owen said this should be a positive item for the Sheriff's Office. He said they will be able to make better use of their resources while reducing lobby traffic and phone traffic.