Liberty County discusses $929,492.40 purchase to replace jail locks and intercoms

Liberty County Commissioners Court met in a special session April 28 to consider a $929,492.40 purchase from Sedapic Incorporated for replacement locks and intercom system work at the Liberty County Jail.

County Judge said at the meeting, “this is to purchase of repairs to locks at intercom at Liberty County Jail for $929,492.40 from Sedapic Incorporated.” The purchase was presented as an emergency repair intended to address deficiencies the county’s jail inspector and the jail commission have cited.

The county’s jail representative said the intercoms and individual cell locks are a life-safety issue. “Intercoms are a life safety issue, and that's one of the reasons they wanna shut us down is because we have to have two-way communication,” the jail representative said. He described the scope as extensive — roughly 130 doors that must be rewired and fitted with new locks — and said the vendor recommended by the state inspector has previously supplied comparable systems to…