Sheriff’s facilities plan seeks funding for security upgrades, utilities and crime‑lab design; EOC due mid‑December

Mitch (Buildings & Grounds West) told the Davis County Budget Committee the sheriff’s facilities have been exceptionally active this year and that several capital needs require funding as new buildings come online.

Mitch said the county is completing the new Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and a sewer lift station, with the EOC target completion date around Dec. 18. That addition — he said — is 100 percent electric, and the increase in electric service plus other new buildings is reflected in a projected utilities increase of about $59,000 in the sheriff’s facilities budget.

Mitch explained several capital requests. The security system that runs operations is now about five years old in its operational portion and uses touchscreen PCs still running Windows 10, which will lose vendor support; the security server/touchscreen/PC replacement was called out as a priority (quoted as $168,000). Parking‑lot lighting (installed in 1991) needs replacement for both life‑safety and energy reasons and would move to LED fixtures consistent with Utah sheriff’s standards on counter‑walk power, Mitch said. The work‑center chiller (in service since 1998) is nearing end of life and was included in the capital list.

Mitch also described a long‑standing space problem in the county crime lab. He said the sheriff’s office has proposed converting space above the medical wing into an expanded crime lab and that the sheriff’s office requested funding in the 2026 budget to pay for architectural and design work on that remodel. The transcript records debate among committee members about the cost—design costs stated in the discussion as about $1,000,000 for design and higher estimates for construction—while one committee member cautioned that it would be imprudent to fully fund a high design cost if the county is not prepared to fund the multi‑million‑dollar construction that would follow. Mitch said construction would likely begin in 2027 if the design money is approved in 2026.

Mitch told the committee that the county currently uses the state crime lab for some services but that the state lab could not absorb all local testing; many evidence items are time‑sensitive and the county holds evidence for cities in the county, contributing to space pressure. He described the request for design funds as part of a multi‑year plan and noted the county is also conducting a broader feasibility study that covers several facilities, including the attorney building, sheriff’s office, parking and perimeter improvements.

No formal motions or votes were recorded in the transcript for this item. Committee members asked questions about alternative options (sending more testing to the state lab would increase turnaround time) and urged careful consideration of design cost versus available construction funding.