Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Jail Planning topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Supervisors probe jail maintenance needs, say new jail size hinges on possible jail tax
Summary
Cochise County supervisors pressed the facilities director on water leaks, aging HVAC and alarm needs at existing jails and discussed how the outcome of a proposed jail tax would shape the scope and cost of a new jail project.
Supervisors at a Cochise County work session pressed Daryl Crowley, the county’s director of facilities, for specifics about repairs needed at existing jails and how those needs would change depending on whether a proposed jail tax passes.
Crowley told the board the county has several recurring problems at jail facilities, including water leaks at the Lisonbee and Bisbee jails, an unreliable power supply at a remote facility (identified in the meeting as VDI), and kitchen electrical loads that have tripped the facility’s distribution system. He described HVAC units with lifespans well beyond their expected service life and said the county recently replaced 13 units on the pods for a cost he characterized as “a half a million dollar bill.”
When asked what immediate repairs were required if a jail tax did not pass, Crowley pointed to multiple areas of need: kitchen electrical upgrades, additional HVAC replacements, and a fire‑alarm system that he said would require roughly $400,000 to complete. He told supervisors he has secured two viable quotes and rejected a third as unrealistically low.
Board members discussed the split between operation and maintenance responsibilities. Crowley said he believes “the maintenance shouldn't be in the sheriff's department. It should be in the facilities,” while another participant referenced a statutory or organizational limit tying responsibility for the jail to the sheriff. At one point supervisors cited a study from the National Association of Sheriffs (as referenced in the meeting) to note that nationwide sheriff departments sometimes under‑maintain jails because operational priorities compete with maintenance.
Several supervisors raised the question of demolition or reuse of the current jail building if a new facility is built. Chair Kozma responded to a direct question about demolition by saying, “I do not,” when asked whether he foresees demolition in the not‑too‑distant future, but he cited insurance, reuse possibilities and space‑planning as elements that would factor into any final decision.
Crowley and supervisors discussed design choices intended to reduce maintenance burden—raised floors or accessible utility panels, centralized HVAC controls and specifying equipment with easier access for service technicians during the design phase. Crowley said those design decisions are part of project planning and should include facilities input during requirement drafting.
Supervisors also discussed timing and cost uncertainty. Crowley said supply chain delays affect custom electrical panels and that a panel for the new building was expected sometime in June. He warned that building to “today’s standards” increases costs relative to older facilities, and noted that lower‑cost building options exist but are “not optimal” and may be considered if funding is constrained.
No formal decisions or votes were taken during the work session; the discussion served to surface condition, cost estimates and process questions the board will need to resolve as they refine the jail project scope and funding strategy.
