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New Cheatham County jail is occupied; staff report minor defects and plan asbestos removal
Summary
County staff reported this week that the new jail is occupied and that crews found mastic containing asbestos on water-pipe insulation above a hard ceiling; staff said testing confirmed the material and asbestos abatement will begin in about two weeks. Commissioners also raised concerns about maintenance staffing and the need for preventative maintenance.
County staff told the Cheatham County commission July 13 that the county has moved into the new jail but crews have discovered a handful of minor defects and an asbestos-containing mastic that will require removal.
"We're in the new jail...got a couple of little bugs, which is to be expected on moving," a county staff member (Staff member) reported, listing door-lock adjustments and HVAC condensation-line work. The staff member said the county opted to test a suspected material and "fortunately...we found it...it was there" — referring to mastic used to glue insulation on water pipes that contains asbestos. Staff said the material is located above a hard ceiling and not within inmates’ areas and that asbestos abatement work is scheduled to begin in about two weeks.
Several commissioners pressed staff on maintenance capacity. A county official noted the maintenance crew is small and near retirement and emphasized the need for cross-training and a preventative maintenance program. "All our apples are in one person, and that's not a good position to be in," the staff member said, warning the county could struggle if that person were unavailable.
What happens next: staff said contractors will begin asbestos removal in the affected areas and that other punch-list items — final cleaning, electrical inspections and door work — remain underway. Commissioners asked staff to develop maintenance staffing and preventative maintenance plans to reduce long-term repair risk.
