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County staff raise ventilation, prefabricated shower and jail-netting safety issues during project review
Summary
During the meeting staff provided detailed feedback from a recent review of the county’s community service building project and discussed potential design changes to showers, ventilation and jail netting after examples from other counties raised safety and liability concerns.
County staff and commissioners spent an extended portion of the meeting discussing construction-phase issues and safety reviews for county facilities, including the community service building project and related corrections facility details.
Staff said the county received comments from a reviewer (referred to in the meeting as the reviewer/consultant) covering phase 2 and phase 3 of a construction project and that many comments were recommendations rather than mandates. The comments included concerns about ventilation and about shower design for prefabricated (precast) shower cells. Staff emphasized that the showers, which are located in each living unit and include two showers per cell, represent a key area of potential wear and recommended considering additional ventilation or exhaust as part of current construction rather than retrofitting later.
Why it matters: Staff said addressing ventilation and shower details during construction would be less costly than returning later. The discussion also touched on the county jail’s fall-prevention netting/mesh: staff referenced an example in another county (Franklin County) where an apparent suicide involving a mesh or netting issue prompted a wrongful-death lawsuit. That recent example led staff and consultants to re-evaluate whether to retrofit additional metal netting or other measures at the county facility. Staff said DLZ (the engineering consultant referenced in the meeting) had worked in Franklin County and could collaborate on solutions.
Key discussion points - Shower cells and ventilation: Staff described each living unit as having a shower cell with two showers and recommended evaluating adding another shower or improved exhaust/paneling at construction time rather than waiting 5–8 years. - Storage and finish work: For wooden storage and finishes, staff suggested upgrading to seamless shower products and possibly adding exhaust panels. - Jail netting and liability: Staff said a recent incident in another county involving a person jumping led to a wrongful-death lawsuit; because of that, consultants and county staff have discussed whether to add metal netting on both sides or to retrofit existing netting to reduce risks. Staff said retrofits can be expensive and that the county’s approach is to pursue the most cost-effective option that meets safety goals. - Consultant coordination: Staff noted DLZ had worked in Franklin County and could provide relevant experience for the county’s project.
Outcome: The discussion produced no formal vote; staff indicated they would follow up with consultants (including DLZ and county engineers) to refine construction plans and recommended changes. Commissioners expressed general support for addressing the ventilation and safety items now to avoid more expensive retrofits later.
Ending: Staff said there are additional phases (phase 4 during construction and phase 5 after construction for wrap-up) yet to come and that the county expects to receive a formal written approval letter from the reviewer soon.
