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Valley County facilities staff report jail heat-pump failures, seek commercial washers and small remodels
Summary
County facilities staff reported multiple heat-pump failures in the jail, small heating and entry upgrades for county offices, and proposed buying commercial washers and dryers to handle jail laundry; staff said $20,000 was budgeted in capital for jail repairs.
Valley County facilities staff told the Board of County Commissioners on Dec. 16 that several county buildings need maintenance and short-term capital upgrades, while some larger projects may be considered for the county—apital improvement plan.
In a department head update, Scott (facilities) said multiple heat-pump units serving the county jail were out of service and that Trane parts must be sourced from Salt Lake City. "They're gonna be here Thursday to get the ones in the 600 cell block back up," Scott said, adding the failures appear tied to worn components and inconsistent past filter maintenance.
Scott also described plans to improve heating in the treasurer's office and a nearby staff office, saying installers proposed ceiling-mounted radiant units with wall thermostats. "We're looking at putting three in the treasurer's office and one in Johanna's office," Scott said.
On jail laundry needs, Scott and other staff discussed switching to commercial-grade washers and dryers used in hostels or long-term-care facilities. Scott estimated the cost of a durable washer-dryer set could reach about $20,000 to $25,000 per pair. County staff noted the jail already budgeted $20,000 in a repair/maintenance line for fiscal items tied to jail operations.
County commissioners urged staff to coordinate funding and departments. A commissioner noted: "We do have a capital equipment budget for the jail... I don't know if we budgeted, in fact, with the idea that there was a need for an industrial washer and dryer, but we did budget amount in that expense line." Staff said they would discuss whether the jail or facilities budget should cover purchases and whether to pursue CIP funding.
Other building items described included replacing worn tile or flooring in the scale house, adding more-durable entry tiles near high-traffic sheriff's entrances, and prioritizing projects under $25,000 so they can be tracked for future CIP planning. Scott said crews are also addressing parking-lot sanding patterns and additional sidewalk clearing this winter.
The facilities report did not include final approvals or appropriation votes; commissioners directed staff to gather quotes and clarify which funds would be used before returning with proposals.
