Marion County Commission advances jail access-control work, discusses speed limit, courthouse HVAC and district capital projects

The Marion County Commission met Jan. 21 and took several administrative steps on public-safety, facilities and road-safety matters.

The commission approved the final access-control contract for the new Marion County Jail and discussed timing for moving inmates and staffing. The commission’s contract award covers five door openings and a contractor balance of $35,940 with the vendor identified in the meeting as Building Specialty Company (BSCO). Tom Travin, of Building Specialty Company (BSCO), was named in the staff presentation as the contractor for the work.

Why it matters: the access-control work was identified as the last major piece of the jail buildout. County staff said completing that system is a prerequisite for final certification and for beginning the process to staff and occupy the facility.

The commission also discussed road safety near new sports facilities in the Hamilton area. County staff member Chris explained the recommendation to lower the speed limit on County Highway 42 — from its intersection with U.S. 43 to the Bayou Hatcher River Bridge — to 35 miles per hour to provide safer stopping and sight distances for a proposed pedestrian crosswalk serving a new track and soccer complex on both sides of the highway. "At 35 miles an hour, that gives us plenty of stopping sight distance on either side to where I feel like it'll be safe," Chris said.

The commission considered a purchase for the Board of Registrar’s office: a replacement desk priced at $1,160. A motion and a second were recorded on…