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County reports progress on jail locks; kitchen plumbing and sewer lining remain unresolved
Summary
Meriwether County staff said locks in the jail have been replaced and plumbing work is progressing but contractors have been reluctant to bid on kitchen repairs because of electrical risks; staff plan to issue RFPs for pipe lining and larger repairs.
County staff reported on March 25 that most of the security locks at the Meriwether County jail have been replaced and that plumbing and kitchen repairs remain outstanding.
A staff member said mechanical and plumbing contractor invoices are on file and that locks with previous issues have been paid and, to the staff member’s understanding, replaced. “Bill was here yesterday. I think he said they replaced all the locks that had issues. So all the locks should be done. They've they've been paid in full,” the staff member said. The staff member added there is an outstanding electrical wiring issue that an electrician is scheduled to trace in May to ensure locks work as intended.
On the jail kitchen, staff reported difficulty securing contractors because electrical lines run under the concrete slab. Multiple contractors declined to bid citing concerns about striking buried electrical and the fact that the facility is a jail. Staff said one local contractor could perform the work but is booked about two weeks out. In the meantime, staff have discussed moving meal preparation temporarily to Building A and transporting food to the jail if necessary.
Staff described the sewer issue as “grey water” entering the kitchen area; they plan to pursue RFPs for lining cast‑iron pipes where feasible. “We discussed… issuing the RFP to put a liner on all the sewage pipes because they're cast iron… It's about three‑eighths epoxy once it sits. It's almost putting a PVC pipe inside of a metal pipe,” a staff member said. The board also discussed the risk of repairing a pipe that may be beyond lining and the need to evaluate both lining and replacement options in an RFP.
Commissioners asked staff to obtain multiple vendor quotes, then issue RFPs that include options for both lining and replacement so the county can compare costs and disruption to the jail. Staff said they would check with the sheriff and mechanical vendors and return with a scope and timeline.
Ending: Staff reported locks largely replaced and plumbing work under active procurement; commissioners directed staff to pursue formal RFPs that cover lining and replacement options and to coordinate with the sheriff on logistical plans for kitchen downtime and inmate meal service.
