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Genesee County approves contracts for jail safety upgrades after liability concerns raised
Summary
Committees approved contracts to replace ligature-risk vent covers and install safety guardrails in the Genesee County Jail. Commissioners cited aging infrastructure and legal risk; projects will be funded from general and capital-sweep accounts.
Genesee County commissioners approved two contracts to address safety vulnerabilities at the Genesee County Jail: a purchase order for installation work and a larger construction contract to install protective guardrails that prevent falls from the facility's second tier.
Sheriff's Office and facilities staff told the Public Works Committee that every cell vent will be replaced with a ligature-resistant grate. Facilities staff said, "Every vent in a cell is going to be replaced and upgraded to the ligature preventing grate." The committee approved a purchase order to Advanced Construction Group for installation activity and proceeded to approve a second contract with Corrigan Construction for safety guardrail construction in an amount not to exceed $1,878,705.
Officials explained the projects will be funded from a combination of the general fund and a capital project fund that holds vacancy-sweep dollars. Staff said portions of the work will be coordinated to limit inmate movement and to align logistics across the two contracts; one staff member estimated that certain pods will take about three weeks each to complete depending on the work (vent replacement versus guardrail installation).
Commissioners pressed staff about total costs and long-term maintenance. One commissioner observed that while the projects require immediate funding, "these are the costs we have" because of aging infrastructure and potential liability. Another commissioner requested that risk-management counsel report back about potential legal exposure; a commissioner referenced prior closed-session litigation and said county counsel had warned the board about possible large damages if hazards were not addressed.
Staff told the committee that some of the vent-replacement scope totals roughly $400,000 to replace all cell vents, while the guardrail construction contract carries the $1.878 million value in the resolution. Procurement staff confirmed both contracts were bid; the guardrail contract followed a competitive process. Commissioners asked for periodic progress reports and a final completion update from the sheriff's office and facilities staff.
The contracts were approved by committee vote; staff will proceed with vendor mobilization and provide updates to the board on project milestones and costs.
