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Commissioners OK $35,135 for exhaust fans as sheriff outlines larger jail repair needs
Summary
The court approved $35,135 to repair purge (exhaust) fans in the original Polk County Jail as the sheriff reported further HVAC, plumbing and long‑term capacity needs; the sheriff warned repairs may reveal additional failures and described possible costs for larger expansion.
The Polk County Commissioners Court approved $35,135 to repair or replace purge (exhaust) fans in the original section of the Polk County Jail, a step the sheriff described as necessary before shifting inmates back into that area.
Sheriff Lyons told commissioners that replacing the exhaust fans is one of the last mechanical issues preventing inmates from returning to the older jail wing. He said contractors and engineers are still completing a walk‑through and that repairs could reveal further failures in plumbing, HVAC and other systems that were out of service for decades. An HVAC estimate for the 'old old' side cited in the record was about $132,000 for extensive replacements; the sheriff also referenced longer‑term planning scenarios that could put bed‑construction estimates in the range of $265,000–$280,000 per bed if a new facility is built or added.
The sheriff stressed staffing constraints would limit how many beds the county could activate: the facility can hold around 311 when staffing is adequate; past peaks reached about 295 inmates. He also noted that contracting for out‑of‑county housing would remain a contingency if local capacity cannot be sustained.
Commissioners moved and carried the funding request for the purge fans. The sheriff said the funding will allow the county to proceed with the next repairs and that the feasibility study will provide more precise cost estimates for further decisions. The court passed the motion by voice vote.
