(Pottawattamie Co.) The Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors has approved moving forward with design and construction documents for a proposed $7.7 million improvement project at the county jail and Sheriff’s Office.
Jason Slack, building and grounds director, told the board that over the past several months, the team has worked with Optimized Systems to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the jail facility and Sheriff’s Office. The purpose of the assessment was to evaluate the condition of the building systems, identify operational and maintenance concerns, assess risks associated with aging infrastructure, and develop recommendations to improve reliability, efficiency, and long-term facility performance.
The facility opened in 1999. Rick Kmiecik, with Optimized Systems, noted that building codes have changed, particularly regarding ventilation, and emphasized the importance of life safety because a correctional facility cannot simply be evacuated in the event of a fire.
Phase 1 includes replacing the rooftop heating, cooling, and ventilation units, upgrading the kitchen hood ventilation, improving ventilation in the garage area, and recommissioning and testing the smoke control system. Phase 2 focuses on heating and chilled water improvements, while Phase 3 includes numerous miscellaneous upgrades. The total estimated cost for all three phases is $7.7 million.
Supervisor Tim Wichman noted that the board has not yet had a discussion about capital improvements for this project.
Jason Slack…
Following the discussion, the board approved proceeding with the design and construction documents for public bidding.
