Marking a defeat for Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett, the County Board rejected a proposed contract Thursday that would have hired a for-profit company to provide communication services to jail residents for at least three years.
The vote wasn’t close. Five County Board members voted to approve the contract with Smart Communications and 31 voted against. One board member was absent for the vote.
The decision followed weeks of debate. Multiple board members applauded the amount of community engagement the contract spurred and thanked people who provided public comment during previous board meetings and discussions…