County moves to remodel detention facility staff areas and expand video courtroom; phase‑1 contract to come to board

Adams County staff on July 22 detailed a three‑phase renovation of the county detention facility to address staff workspace shortages, add centrally located staff restrooms and expand an existing video courtroom used for remote hearings.

Facilities and sheriff's office staff said the project began as an effort to convert an underutilized staff dining room into a sergeants' workroom and to provide much‑needed restrooms and improved office layouts for professional staff. David Richards of Facilities & Fleet Management and project manager Kristen Grace described the work as high priority, citing daily operational constraints.

Chief Dunning of the sheriff's office said recent laws are increasing demand for audio‑visual legal and family‑visitation services in the jail. "We are going to see a huge increase in attorney client visits that will happen through audio visual communication in that room," he said, noting the courtroom was originally stood up during COVID and now supports bond hearings, out‑of‑county proceedings and family‑visit sessions tied to Senate Bill 20339 and House Bill 2051049 as cited in the presentation.

Project scope and phasing: staff described three phases. Phase 1 converts the old staff dining area into a sergeants' workroom and constructs two staff restrooms; phase 2 relocates professional staff into the remodeled sergeants' area; phase 3 expands the existing video courtroom to add private, sound‑attenuated booths for attorney‑client and family visits and to accommodate multiple concurrent remote hearings.

Phase 1 procurement: staff said they are ready to award a vetted contractor to begin phase‑1 work and gave a contract amount of $658,888 for that phase. Facilities staff said that contract will be brought to the Board for approval through the normal procurement and public hearing process.

Timing and cost: staff said the full three‑phase estimate originally budgeted at about $1,750,000 (the item was listed as "old staff dining remodel" in the detention facility priority plan) should be sufficient; they reported an initial procurement amount for phase 1 of $658,888 and estimated phase‑1 construction duration at roughly 16–18 weeks, assuming timely approvals. Facilities staff and the sheriff's office said they intend to coordinate project work to minimize interruption to court and jail operations.

Next steps: Facilities staff will place the phase‑1 contract on the Board agenda for formal approval and public hearing. Staff also said they will continue stakeholder outreach with criminal justice partners and public defenders so expansion of the courtroom and visitation booths meets user needs and minimizes disruption to court calendars.

Ending: No formal contract was approved at the July 22 meeting; staff asked the Board to approve the phase‑1 construction contract at a future public hearing and to support continued planning for phases 2 and 3 of the detention facility project.