The DeKalb County Finance, Audit and Budget Committee on Wednesday approved a FY2025 budget amendment to fund critical repairs at the county jail, citing safety and capacity needs.

Mr. Williams, the county chief operating officer, told the committee the request represents a triage of the jail’s most urgent capital needs and “really represent[s] a down payment into a capital strategy and a capital plan to address various issues at the jail.” The list includes sealing three roofs, repairing elevators, replacing certain older lock types, removing unsafe wood structures, replacing about 1,500 combined metal toilet/sink units and replacing 197 cell light fixtures.

Commissioners pressed for details about which cells and wings would be impacted and the timeline for completing the work. Williams said the investment would allow the sheriff’s office to move inmates into cells with metal fixtures and that the county has been doing lock replacements over several years; additional lock replacement requests are expected in 2026 and 2027. Commissioner Michelle Long Spears asked about the vendor and whether the $1.5 million figure she recalled referred to locks; Williams said he would provide the exact breakdown by the end of the meeting.

After questions, Commissioner Michelle Long Spears moved to approve the item; the motion was seconded and carried on a voice vote with Chair Commissioner Ted Terry voting aye.

The committee did not provide a complete dollar total for the entire jail package in the discussion recorded in the transcript; quantities and targeted items were described in detail but some unit costs and the full appropriation amount were not specified in the public comments. The administration characterized funding for these items as coming from the general fund.

The amendment advances the county’s multi‑year approach to jail capital needs; the committee said it expects similar requests in coming fiscal years as the county phases the broader capital strategy.