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Commissioners hear $3.75 million jail renovation estimate; budget committee recommends funding plan
Summary
At the Feb. 17 workshop, county staff and the contractor outlined repairs to the existing jail including a $2.8 million HVAC/ductwork replacement and a $600,000 domestic-water-piping estimate; the budget committee recommended funding $3,750,594 largely from reserves and fund balance rather than new borrowing.
County staff and the contractor told the Chippewa County Commission on Feb. 17 that rehabilitation of the existing jail will require substantial work and cost more than originally budgeted, and the budget committee recommended a funding plan that would avoid additional borrowing.
Mr. Greer, who provided the operational status update, said approvals are pending the fire marshal's sign-off and that staff have adjusted booking and classification areas to meet life-safety requirements. Project manager Mister Graham detailed the contractor's recommended scope for the existing facility: a smoke-evacuation system, upgraded security electronics, replacement of security plumbing fixtures, and extensive HVAC and ductwork replacement that will require demolition and ceiling repairs.
Graham said the contractor's estimate for replacing the rooftop unit (RTU), ductwork, associated demolition and reinstall work, lighting, and fire-alarm devices is $2.8 million; replacing domestic water piping and selected plumbing upgrades were presented at about $600,000. He told commissioners roughly 75% of cost items come from subs who inspected the building; the remaining 25% are allowances.
Commissioners pressed for warranty and performance guarantees for the new system. Graham said controls and balancing work would be performed and standard warranty language could be included in the contract specifications.
The budget committee recommended funding the jail work without new borrowing. Committee figures presented a proposed total of $3,750,594 for the project and listed $390,000 available from specific reserves (boarding and position/salary reserves), leaving roughly $3.36 million to be drawn from the county fund balance. At the time of the report the county fund balance was stated as $8,128,912.66; commissioners discussed a preference to maintain a minimum fund balance near $5 million.
No formal appropriation occurred at the workshop. The budget committee's recommendation will be brought to the commission for placement on an upcoming agenda for formal consideration and potential vote.
