County jail work advances: heat pumps, boilers and a multi-million-dollar renovation in progress

Howard County facilities staff reported to the council that a multi-million-dollar mechanical overhaul of the county jail and other county buildings is underway, with more than 50 of 73 new heat pumps already installed and new boilers placed in the boiler room. Bill Stone, facilities director, told the council the jail project is approximately a $2.4 million effort that has required interior work, replacement of equipment and extensive utility and ceiling work. Stone said crews are installing LED lighting and new ceilings as they replace aging mechanical infrastructure. He said two rooftop and one interior makeup-air units remain to be installed and that the project uses heat-pipe technology to lower incoming-air temperatures by 10 to 15 degrees before cooling, a step intended to reduce energy use and extend the life of the new equipment. "The boiler room has been completely stripped and emptied. New boilers are in place," Stone said, noting the work destroyed old ceilings that were already due for replacement. He said in-house teams have produced savings on other projects, citing a $15,000 job for a gym rooftop unit that had previously been estimated to cost more than $50,000. Stone outlined other near-term facilities projects: upgraded HVAC for an administration building, replacement of two air-conditioning units at the county 911 tower and a remediation project at the Kinsey Youth Center. He said the Kinsey remediation will include vertical-wall waterproofing, significant gutter replacement and other envelope repairs; the initial bid meeting was scheduled for late September and Stone estimated the remediation could exceed $150,000 for the first phase. Sheriff Jerry Asher and facilities staff also discussed ongoing jail needs during a presentation that covered a wide set of operations and maintenance items. Asher reiterated the scale of the jail project and noted crews have faced fights and other challenges while work proceeds. Why it matters: The mechanical replacement and building-envelope remediation affect public safety operations and county operating costs; the projects are large capital investments with multi-year impacts on utilities, maintenance and inmate housing conditions. Discussion points: Progress and scope of jail mechanical work; energy-saving design choices; need for envelope remediation at Kinsey Youth Center; cost-savings achieved on some retrofit work; balancing repairs at aging county facilities with a longer-term replacement strategy. Directions/assignments: Facilities will proceed with remaining mechanical installations, issue the Kinsey remediation bid, and provide estimates and schedules for the next phases; facilities staff will continue to provide updates to the council. Decisions: None recorded as immediate votes; projects are in construction and procurement phases and subject to future bidding and approvals.