By HOLLY GASKILL
After months of delays, the final items of the Wells County Jail renovation project should be finished by January 2025.
Brad Driver, a representative from contractor Ameresco, spoke with the Wells County Commissioners about the project during their meeting on Monday. Driver last spoke with them in March, and, at the time, assured them that issues with the building’s heating and cooling would be resolved during the summer.
On Monday, Driver said the company has continued to monitor and track HVAC data to make adjustments and feels “confident that the situation can be taken care of in programming.”
Driver also addressed five other outstanding issues, saying all but one item had already been resolved or would be completed by the end of December. The only item that would continue into 2025 could be a caulking issue, which the subcontractor said could be addressed in late January.
Sheriff Scott Holliday noted that several of these items were not unfinished, but weren’t “up to par.” If the renovation was complete, Holliday said he still would’ve requested the adjustments.
Subsequently, Driver asked if the commissioners would consider releasing half of the remaining $40,000, which was denied. In March, the commissioners agreed to withhold $40,000 of a final $134,830 payment as a retainer for the work. The jail’s $8.275 million renovation project began in 2021 and was largely completed in 2023.
The commissioners expect to check in on several outstanding issues at the new Wells County Highway Garage building as well. In an update sent via email to the commissioners, Supervisor Shawn Bonar said there has not been progress on roof leaks and HVAC issues. Commissioner Jeff Stringer advised that he and Commissioner Blake Gerber would meet with project manager Conor Jackson.
In an unrelated issue, cracked and leaking cast iron pipes at the jail have continued to be replaced. Holliday said a recent smoke test found a pipe “completely filled with rust.”
The commissioners also instructed County Attorney Ted Storer to prepare a resolution allowing deputies to be paid for unused time off at the end of the year. Holliday said his department has been short-staffed, and some deputies have been unable to use their remaining days off.
Holliday recommended their PTO be paid out instead of carrying over into 2025, citing precedent from COVID-19 staffing issues. The commissioners expect to approve the resolution at their next meeting on Dec. 16.
As of Monday, there were 80 inmates in the jail; 38 were pre-trial holds for the Circuit Court, 21 pre-trial for the Superior Court, 17 from the Department of Correction and two Level 6 felons.
holly@news-banner.com
