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Sheriff’s facilities face multiyear capital needs: EOC, security upgrades and proposed crime-lab design
Summary
Facilities staff described rising utilities tied to a new 100%-electric EOC, a $168,000 security-system replacement, parking-light upgrades and a multi-million-dollar crime-lab build that may require design funding now but major construction later.
Mitch, the county facilities representative, told the Budget Committee the sheriff’s buildings-and-grounds portfolio has been unusually active this year, with several projects coming online and two major facilities—an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and a sewer lift station—scheduled to be completed around mid-December.
"The EOC is 100% electric," Mitch said, explaining that increased electricity needs account for a roughly $59,000 rise in utilities in the sheriff’s facilities budget. He listed near-term capital priorities: a security-system replacement (servers, touchscreens, PCs) estimated at about $168,000; replacement of a 1998 chiller; parking-lot lighting upgrades to LED for reliability and life-safety reasons; and ongoing camera and Metasys control upgrades.
Mitch also discussed a longstanding crime-lab expansion request. He said a full design proposal for an upstairs crime lab has been on the five-year plan for several years and argued the county needs to move forward rather than rely exclusively on the state crime lab for backlogged work. A committee exchange discussed costs: Mitch cited a recent bid that put build-out near $3,000,000; a commissioner noted that a $1,000,000 design fee would be a poor use if the county were unwilling to fund the larger build price, estimating total project cost could be $4–5 million depending on scope. Mitch said the design work would likely carry into 2027 and that some capital requests had previously been split across budgets, which he consolidated into buildings-and-grounds west for this cycle.
Mitch emphasized life-safety and maintenance issues—failing lighting, aging chillers and end-of-life security hardware—and said some items are mandated by inspection standards. He asked the committee to consider funding the identified capital improvements and said a feasibility study covering multiple facilities should wrap up this year.
Next steps: the committee asked staff to refine cost estimates, consider funding sources (general fund vs. buildings-and-grounds fund) and return with options that align design work to a realistic construction funding plan.
