Sheriff: Jail roof, kitchen need upgrades

Sheriff Tyler Hatfield addressed the Metro Moore Council on Monday to shed light on repairs and potential upgrades for the jail. He explained a water leak in December would be an expense to repair the jail’s roof.

Hatfield said experts recommend a 25-year shingle to replace the existing tin. “That’s going to be a sizeable bill,” he said. “It’s something that’s coming, so I just want to put that on everyone’s plate, making sure everybody is aware.

For funding, he noted, “There is a fair amount of money that we should be able to take care of this without anything coming out of County General, but we will need a budget later in the year.” That money is in the Litigation Tax Account. However, an insurance payout and the county’s project budget would cover the remainder of any expenses.

District 4 Metro Council member Peggy Sue Blackburn inquired about insurance covering the roof damage. Hatfield said, “That’s a battle we’ve already fought.” The insurance company said it was more of a maintenance issue than wind damage.

“The water leak we had was fairly significant,” he added. “[Water] was pouring out of the kitchen ceiling, pouring out the lobby ceiling, two light fixtures fell ... it was a large amount of water.”

Hatfield said the insurance company paid almost $20,000, but other repairs will be needed. He suggested remodeling the jail kitchen and the prisoner intake area.

The jail kitchen has a four-burner stove and prepares meals for 30 inmates daily. “It’s showing its age,” Hatfield noted.

The prisoner intake space is a small area comprising a pair of handcuffs secured to a wooden desk. “As it stands,” he said, “we don’t have a secure area to put a prisoner prior to having been assigned and put back in population.

“There is a lot to be desired in the safety and security aspect of our intake process,” Hatfield said. “We are looking at ways we can change the space we have to better fit what the need is today.”

The remaining funds from the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act, which President Joe Biden signed to allocate $350 billion in assistance to state and local governments, could be allocated to cover the cost. According to the Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Financial Report, Moore County earmarked its portion of the ARPA for Phase II of the Sewer Rehabilitation Project ($2 million), Asset Management Software/Planning ($256,000), and planning and design of approximately 40,000 linear feet of water main replacement ($250,000).