Maintenance staff reports jail water-heater failures; replacement discussion tabled

Howard County maintenance supervisor Bill Stone told commissioners Monday that one jail water heater failed and was repaired temporarily using parts from another unit. Stone said the unit was "spitting, sputtering, popping" and that staff performed a repair to keep systems running. Stone said he had a contractor from a hydronic-and-steam specialty company inspect the system and recommended exploring more efficient replacement options that could have higher up-front costs but yield natural-gas savings over time. He also noted a planned replacement jail is under discussion, which affected his preference to delay permanent changes. Stone asked the board to table the water-heater subject while he continues research; commissioners agreed to table the matter. Stone characterized the recent week of water problems as among the worst in his years on the job, saying, "Out of all my years here, that was in the top 5 worst weeks I've ever had." No purchase or capital decision was made at the meeting.