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Orange County panel approves a package of jail infrastructure projects totaling $2.55 million
Summary
The Public Safety & Emergency Services Committee approved multiple jail capital projects — including kitchen renovations, cell repairs, security systems and new storage — totaling $2.55 million in bonding to address aging infrastructure and safety risks at the county jail.
Acting Chairwoman Genesis Ramos’s Public Safety & Emergency Services Committee approved a package of capital projects on March 25 to repair and upgrade Orange County’s jail facilities, citing aging systems and safety concerns.
James DiSalvo, Fiscal Director for the Sheriff’s Office, said the pole‑barn-style building proposed in Capital Project No. 132 would “preserve [equipment] life” by housing vehicles and equipment now stored outdoors. The committee approved that project at $250,000 (bonding). Undersheriff Evelyn Mallard repeatedly stressed the age and condition of the jail: she said kitchen equipment is failing and the facility is about 25 years old, and called cell repairs a safety necessity because inmates have removed “glass or metal pieces coming out of the walls” that can be used as weapons.
The committee approved $175,000 for Kitchen Renovations (Project No. 89), $150,000 for Day Automation/HVAC upgrades (Project No. 90), $500,000 for facility‑wide cell replacement and maintenance (Project No. 91), and multiple security upgrades including $100,000 for door/gate/security control system replacements (Project No. 92) and $300,000 for exterior perimeter door/frame replacements (Project No. 93). Members also approved $500,000 for a facility doors and gates access system (Project No. 94) and $100,000 to replace perimeter lighting (Project No. 95). The committee authorized a $500,000 project to create Sub‑Dayrooms inside housing units to separate inmates who cannot coexist safely (Project No. 96).
Undersheriff Mallard also provided operational context: when asked how many meals are served, she said, “it is 3 meals a day, so 400 meals in total,” underscoring the continuous nature of food service needs that motivated the kitchen repairs. Committee members approved each motion; the minutes record “Motion carried. All in favor.”
The projects will be added to the 2026 Capital Plan and funded primarily through bonding. Implementation steps and schedules were not specified in the meeting record.
