Officials say jail chiller replacements are underway; elevator modernization budget still being finalized

Kurt, the facilities staff member, told the committee that work on the jail chillers is underway and that the contractor has removed a dead chiller from the basement and staged replacement equipment. He said he reviewed the first pay application and expects additional pay requests; early budget estimates referenced during the meeting put the overall chiller project at more than $1,000,000, with one committee member citing $1.7 million.

Kurt also described the inmate elevator modernization, a project to bring a more than 50‑year‑old elevator up to current code. He said staff are coordinating with the State Fire Marshal to determine which elements require strict compliance and where variances may be sought. “That’s the one that’s over 50 years old, and it's bringing up the current code… we wanted to talk with [the State Fire Marshal] about that project a little bit, to make sure there'd be no surprises on his end,” Kurt said. Staff committed to provide more precise cost numbers for the elevator modernization and to keep finance staff updated as pay applications for the chiller arrive.