Commissioners approve jail roof work, sally-port wiring and additional sheriff pay as county readies new correctional center

Grand Forks County commissioners voted to repair leaking sections of the county jail’s roof, approve a hardwired control for the courthouse sally port and add $8,000 to a previously approved sheriff pay increase as officials said they are preparing to open a new correctional center.

The actions matter because the county is aiming to begin operations at the new correctional facility around July 1; commissioners said roof failures, secure drop-off access and staffing are immediate constraints to that timeline.

Commissioners approved two roofing bids covering the boiler/mechanical area above the former juvenile detention space and the balance of the jail roof. County staff and commissioners described visible damage and water infiltration; one speaker calculated an estimated additional insulation-replacement cost of about $4.25 per square foot for wet insulation, and staff said some line items will be added if insulation is found damp when the roof is opened. The motion to move forward with the roofing work passed unanimously.

Facilities staff also presented options to restore a secure inmate drop-off at the courthouse sally port that will be needed once juvenile detention operations shift. The county recommended installing a hardwired door control so courthouse security staff can open and close the sally port from the security desk. Staff estimated a worst-case cost of about $4,700 for the hardwired installation, and said the price could be roughly $654 less if a signal booster is unnecessary. Commissioners approved moving ahead with that installation.

On pay for the sheriff, a commissioner moved to add $8,000 to a $12,000 increase previously approved, bringing the total increase to $20,000. The motion passed.

Commissioners also debated an offer from the jail contractor to extend a one-year warranty by two additional years on a portion of the new parking lot instead of replacing affected panels now. County staff and a county representative who inspected the lot described isolated surface degradation they called “rock pop” or surface delamination on roughly 120 cubic yards of concrete. Commissioners voted not to accept the warranty-extension offer and instructed the contractor to repair or replace the affected areas under the original contract terms.

The commission discussed staffing and contracts related to opening the new correctional center. County staff said they remain in contact with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DOCR) about a contract and that staffing remains the principal constraint; they said the opening remains on track for July 1 contingent on hiring and training. The county also described a planned job description for a correctional captain (graded by human resources as grade 18) that will go into effect when the position is filled; staff said seven applicants had submitted required materials and interviews will be scheduled.

Separately, a county representative said a consultant who has walked the old jail building offered to draft a professional-services proposal for an assessment not to exceed $20,000; staff said the proposal would describe renovation options and estimated costs. Commissioners did not vote on hiring that consultant at the meeting but asked to revisit the matter at a future agenda.

Discussion: Commissioners repeatedly emphasized urgency: several said the leaking roof cannot wait and that the sally-port control is a more economical, lower-error option than fobs or remote openers. Several commissioners pressed staff to identify funding sources and to send a follow-up email showing which reserve or capital account will be used for the roofing work. Staff said funds are available and agreed to provide the finance-source detail after the meeting.

Decisions/directions: Roof repairs and the hardwired sally-port installation were approved; the payment increase to the sheriff (bringing the previously authorized increase to $20,000) passed; the commission rejected the contractor’s two-year warranty extension and asked the contractor to correct the affected parking-lot areas; commissioners requested additional follow-up on the professional assessment proposal and the financing source for the roof work.

The county asked staff to report back at the next meeting with updates on hiring, contract status with DOCR, and the funding source for the roofing work.