Athens Review, Athens, Texas

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June 30, 2008

County gets creative

Unused items being used at jail expansion

By Rich Flowers News Editor

The Henderson County Maintenance Department has been keeping the welding torches lit for the past few weeks helping the county get ready for the opening of the jail expansion.

County Judge David Holstein said maintenance workers have been refurbishing beds and items no longer needed in other county facilities for use in the jail expansion. Department manager Rick Green and crew have been on the project for about the last two months

“They’ve saved us a ton of money. All the hardware in the holding cells, maintenance built that in the shop,” Holstein. “They’ve built shelves and done a lot of the small construction items.”

Converting the old metal objects into new ones has translated into thousands of dollars worth of furniture the county did not have to purchase.

“Maintenance has also built the retaining wall in the back area behind the jail,” Holstein said. “They’re doing a lot of landscaping and putting the grass in.”

Maintenance workers made creative use of metal and wood items found in the old jail on Larkin Street and the old county hospital, Holstein said. For example, some of the old bunks were put to use by shortening the metal posts, turning them over and using them for benches. Members of the Jail Expansion Citizens Committee were able to see the results in a recent tour of the new facility.

Other county departments are pitching in to complete the project, as well. Pct. 1 Commissioner Joe Hall will have a crew laying asphalt on the impound yard. The impound yard is used to place vehicles that have been taken into custody by the Henderson County Sheriff’s Department or other county law enforcement departments.

“They’ll be putting in asphalt there,” Holstein said.

In addition to using its employees in the jail project, the county is trying to keep a close watch on county dollars spent on the $12 million project.

On June 24, county commissioners noticed an extra high natural gas bill on a line that had been cut by subcontractors during the jail project. Commissioners pulled the bill in an effort to recoup a portion of the cost from Templeton Construction. Pulling a bill means that bill is not paid until further discussion is had.

Commissioners have also questioned whether the county or Templeton should shoulder the $66,000 cost for redesigning the purge system at the existing jail. Architect Ken Burns is scheduled to appear at the July 8, meeting to discuss the issue.

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