County staff reported multiple maintenance failures at the Cleburne County jail, including rotted floor sections, longstanding plumbing patches and deteriorated cell doors and hinges. A staff presentation included photos and a request for cost estimates; commissioners asked for a written report and prioritized list of the most critical safety items.

"It's been...ground down to bare metal, prime, and painted over," a jail staff member said when describing damaged floor areas treated repeatedly rather than replaced. The commission discussed options such as cutting out rusted metal, welding or bracing, and replacing fixtures; attendees agreed to get a written cost estimate to inform budget planning.

On cell security, a vendor quote from American Detention was discussed that put replacement of eight pod doors at $40,000 and replacement of two isolation/detox doors at about $11,000 each (quote included windows and a pass-through tray). Commissioners asked whether door closers, hinge type and lock compatibility were included and stressed the need to match lock design to a properly specified door. "When you start slamming those doors...that's deteriorating your hinges, your door, and your lock," a commissioner warned.

Nursing and correctional staff raised risk-priority concerns such as unsecured doors during large services, the potential for combative inmates moving between pods, and plumbing hazards. A health/staff representative recommended the commission prioritize the most urgent safety risks and consider using rainy-day or capital-improvement funds if needed. Commissioners requested the jail present a prioritized list of repairs, hard cost estimates and bid documents so the county can decide whether to include items in the next budget cycle or to seek immediate funding via contingency or capital accounts.

Next steps: staff to provide a written inspection report with a prioritized repairs list and cost estimates; commissioners discussed preparing bid specifications and exploring phased replacements if full replacement exceeds current budget capacity.