BANGOR, Maine (AP) A Bangor jail could spend up to $1 million to board inmates at other jails due to overcrowding.

The Penobscot County Jail cost the county over $537,000 in fees to pay for inmates to stay at other jails last year. The Bangor Daily News reported on Monday that the Maine Department of Corrections has told county officials the Bangor jail must stop regularly exceeding its licensed capacity of 157 inmates.

There was recently an average of 175 inmates in the jail with about 55 inmates boarded at other facilities.

County commissioners budgeted $780,000 for this year, not including the cost of transporting inmates.