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Committee backs studying phased use of new jail bond funds; HOK proposes site-first approach
Summary
HOK presented a phased plan (Phase 2a/2b/Phase 3) for using bond proceeds to advance site work, intake facility and initial housing. The committee expressed general support and asked staff to amend HOK's contract to produce detailed scope and cost breakdowns for the next briefing; some bond proceeds face a May 2026 arbitrage deadline.
The Oversight Committee reviewed a phased development plan for the new detention campus and expressed support for further study and contract amendments to refine scope and costs on July 15, 2025.
Kurt Pardee of HOK presented a site-phasing concept that places the Behavioral Care Center (already under construction) as Phase 1 and divides follow-on work into Phase 2a (site enabling work, utilities and initial road/retaining wall), Phase 2b (intake/booking/sally port, kitchen, warehouse, laundry, a central utility plant and one initial housing unit) and Phase 3 (major housing blocks, administration, courtrooms and support spaces). Pardee said Phase 2b's built area is about 155,000 square feet and that the planning target for Phase 2b/initial support facilities is under $200 million; the Phase 2b housing unit shown in the concept would add roughly 80 beds.
HOK and Flintco staff described Phase 2a as primarily site work (utilities mains, cut-and-fill, demolition and a retaining wall) and said roughly $13 million is being shaped as the available Phase 2a scope. Committee members noted that only about $10 million is currently on hand and that arbitrage rules constrain the use of some bond proceeds (staff mentioned a May 2026 deadline for at least $10 million of available funds).
Staff and HOK emphasized sequencing trade-offs: building a central utility plant and support facilities early improves future construction efficiency but commits funds up front. Committee members repeatedly raised operational and staffing concerns about moving intake and some detention functions to a new site while the downtown jail remains in operation. Commissioners and staff said they would continue discussions with jail operators about transport, staffing and safety before finalizing scope.
Two committee motions were proposed: one to express support for further investigation of Phases 2a and 2b and to request more detailed scope and cost estimates; and a second to amend HOK's contract to pay for additional design and evaluation work needed to produce those details. Committee members seconded the motions and directed staff and HOK to return with defined scopes, line-item cost breakdowns and timing so the Board of County Commissioners can consider releasing additional bond proceeds. The transcript records the motions and seconds and shows the committee moving to vote; a formal tally is not recorded in the transcript excerpt. Staff flagged the need to move quickly to spend constrained funds within arbitrage timelines.
Committee direction is procedural: staff should refine Phase 2a and 2b scopes, provide a written cost package for the approximately $13 million Phase 2a proposal and return with more detail (including options such as phasing kitchen outfitting or adding another housing pod). No final bond release or contract authorization was recorded in the meeting minutes; HOK was asked to prepare the additional design/evaluation work and staff will pursue an amendment to HOK's contract to fund that work.
