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Commission pauses old‑jail detention work after inspection finds asbestos, smoke‑evacuation concerns
Summary
Following committee reports and the sheriff's briefing, the commission voted unanimously to pause detention-area work on the old jail, finish functional building elements, and re-bid remaining work with a new architect/contractor.
The Cheatham County Commission voted unanimously to pause a portion of the remodel work on the county's old jail after the sheriff and the jail committee reported unanticipated conditions and technical concerns found during demolition and inspection.
Sheriff Greer told commissioners the team found asbestos and serious doubts about the designed smoke‑evacuation system for the detention area. He recommended finishing parts of the building that would make it functional (elevator, holding cells) but stopping the detention-area construction until the county could regroup with another architect and re-solicit bids. "We're finding lots of unknowns... the smoke evacuation system that's designed is going to work. A lot of doubts there," he said.
The commission adopted a motion to complete current essential work, remove the detention-area scope from the active contract, and start a new procurement process. The vote was 12–0.
What happens next: The jail committee and county attorney will address contract termination details with the existing contractor(s), secure a new architect, and prepare a revised bid package aimed at reducing change orders and unknown-cost exposure.
