Richland County committee hears progress on detention center renovations, mental-health demands and maintenance changes

The Richland County Detention Center ad hoc committee heard an update on Nov. 1 about renovations, security upgrades and maintenance changes at the countys jail, and was told the county remains legally responsible for detainees with mental-health needs despite recent capital investments.

Administrator Brown told the committee the county is completing a full renovation of each of the facilitys 18 housing units, including new light fixtures, flooring, unit doors, stainless-steel toilet-and-sink combos and a water-management system intended to reduce damage and isolate failures to a single unit. "The renovations of each of the housing units, which we have 18, is a complete renovation to include light structures, to include flooring, to include the doors on the actual units themselves," Brown said.

Brown said several units are nearly finished but remain dependent on lighting deliveries and installation. He cited the "Mike" unit as about 90% complete with an estimated completion date of Nov. 7 pending fixture delivery, and said other units such as Kilo and Lima are about 95% complete. Once…