By Allison Peck
Lincoln County commissioners have called an emergency meeting for Tuesday to consider repairs to a failing HVAC system at the Lincoln County Detention Center after officials said action could not be taken during Monday's regular meeting due to an agenda oversight.
The issue was raised during the portion of Monday's meeting reserved for comments from elected officials and department heads.
County officials said the detention center's HVAC system requires repairs that are considered time-sensitive, with replacement parts estimated to be six weeks out. Informal bids for the work have already been received, but commissioners were unable to formally act because the item was not included on the meeting agenda.
"I gotta take some blame for this," one county official told commissioners. "I did not clarify that with Becky to put it on the agenda."
Officials said they had been seeking legal guidance regarding the purchase and believed the matter would be ready for action during Monday's meeting.
The discussion quickly turned to the impact the failure could have on detention center operations.
Sheriff Jerome Kramer stressed that maintaining acceptable conditions inside the jail is not optional.
"We can't keep people in an environment without HVAC," Kramer said. "Regardless of what statute says, we can't do it. Can't do it. And we won't do it."
Kramer said the issue extends beyond dollars and cents, arguing that the county has obligations to both inmates and staff.
"We signed agreements how we would treat inmates, and we would treat inmates that way even if we didn't have contracts because that's the way we treat people," he said.
County officials discussed whether emergency purchasing exceptions might apply given the circumstances, though legal counsel noted commissioners could not take action Monday because the item was not listed on the agenda.
One commissioner noted that the county may face greater liability by failing to address the issue than by moving quickly to resolve it.
Discussion also revealed that one of the affected areas serves as a medical pod within the detention center.
When asked whether the lack of adequate cooling posed a health and safety risk to correctional staff and inmates, Kramer responded that it did.
"It is," Kramer said. "One of these units is a medical pod. When you're talking that classification of people, it makes it even more emergent."
Commissioners acknowledged the situation did not arise overnight.
"This didn't just break this morning. It broke last week," one commissioner noted during the discussion.
Kramer agreed but maintained the situation still warrants immediate attention.
Temporary repairs have been made to keep portions of the system functioning, but officials said the measures are only a short-term patch.
County staff said detention center HVAC units date back to approximately 2010 or 2011 and have been the subject of discussion during previous budget cycles.
Following the discussion, commissioners agreed to hold an emergency meeting at 1 p.m. Tuesday to consider the purchase.
Commission Chairman Kent Weems said the meeting would focus on what he described as an essential purchase for both inmate and employee safety.
"I think we have committed a quorum for 1 o'clock tomorrow for the emergency meeting to discuss and consider this essential purchase for the safety of our jail population as well as the safety of our staff," Weems said.
County officials are expected to consider repair and purchasing options during Tuesday's emergency meeting.