By HOLLY GASKILL
Finishing touches are being completed on the $8.275 million renovation of the Wells County Jail.
This renovation was the first major update to the building, which was built in 1986. The project, beginning in the fall of 2021, included expansion for a new intake center and vehicle bay, in addition to improvements to the jail’s HVAC, fire safety systems, roof, visitation rooms, and entrance area.
Sheriff Scott Holliday said he already recognizes how vastly the renovations have benefited the jail’s operation.
The new video courtrooms have saved time and increased safety with trips to the Wells County Superior and Circuit courts, the expanded intake area has allowed staff to operate fluidly, and water efficiency measures have prevented issues with cell flooding — among numerous other items.
Holliday said, due to the facility’s age and the county’s changing needs, the jail staff had been aware of particular issues for quite a while. However, a year into Holliday’s first term as sheriff, COVID-19 created a greater sense of urgency.
“COVID receded the water and exposed all the rocks,” Holliday said.
At the time, intakes were required to quarantine from the jail’s population for 14 days. With only three isolation cells in the intake center — all of which were being used regularly by inmates with mental or physical needs — this was nearly impossible, especially without bathrooms in the cell. In an already cramped workspace, jail staff had to let inmates out whenever needed for the bathroom.
This process was already seen as a safety concern before COVID-19. However, it became a concern for exposure, both for inmates and employees. Holliday stated that where the jail may have been able to make things work with 120 inmates, it was clear they could not safely keep up.
Holliday and Jail Commander Karen Thompson began discussing possible renovations with an architect from Elevatus, trying to make the most of their space and budget. By the end of their planning, at least a dozen items had joined their list — from basic needs of having the parking lot accessible for fire trucks to general aesthetic hopes for a fresh coat of paint.
These plans became a reality when additional funding was made available through the CARES Act and American Recovery Plan Act. The county later partnered with Ameresco for most of the work, which would emphasize energy and water efficiency.
Throughout construction, the jail staff made day-to-day changes in routine — including locking down the building regularly, completing background checks on construction workers, ensuring which personnel had access to the building and verifying no tools or materials were left in secure areas. Notably, the jail staff operated out of a temporary intake center in their garage for most of the construction.
In short, it’s been a year and a half marked by high alert and flexibility.
Looking toward the finish line, both Holliday and Thompson are looking forward to a “normal” pace with returned programming and small, routine improvements.
“We’ve been pretty excited this last month or two as we’re getting toward the end,” Holliday said. “We’re walking around and noting the little finishing touches or what we might like to look into for training or the future … and it’s nice to be at this point after a year and a half.”
In the coming weeks, construction crews and county officials will go through the building, noting anything that needs touching up. However, the jail will still have to wait to install a new door in the kitchen for shipments. Holliday expects the jail will receive the proper locks sometime in March.
holly@news-banner.com
