Committee clears funding approach for jail countertop replacement, keeps project under procurement threshold

County maintenance staff presented bids for replacing chipped and hazardous countertops in the county jail. Jason, who coordinated the procurement, told the committee the original mid-tier quote was $30,900 — above the $30,000 informal-bid threshold — but the vendor's lowest stone option came in at $29,950.

"They are mica countertops. They're chipping. They are a hazard. We've had people get cut on them," Jason said, describing the safety and maintenance rationale for replacement. Jeremiah (county counsel/staff) reviewed procurement rules and advised that selecting a lower-priced option that was included in the original quote would keep the purchase under the formal bidding threshold.

Committee members discussed budget placement and agreed to fund the work from the existing jail maintenance incidental line (public safety), which had a $50,000 allocation; members also discussed raising that incidental line for future predictable needs and flagged the value of a five-year maintenance plan to prioritize capital and maintenance work at the facility. Jason will coordinate the work and keep the committee informed of scheduling and invoices.