The committee received the Buildings and Grounds report on Oct. 16 outlining facility work orders, year-to-date budget performance, building improvements and upcoming maintenance work.

The presenter said the department completed work orders for September and currently has 24 open work orders in progress. On finances, the presenter reported year-to-date expenditures of $1,000,020.24 compared with last year's $1,300,250.57 and said the department was about $186,855 short of hitting a $1.2 million budget target as of the report. The presenter said savings have come from reduced outside-contractor expenses and noted increases in maintenance contracts and uniform/mat services due to vendor price increases.

Facility items highlighted included replacement of the courthouse front doors with ADA-compatible thresholds installed via a county clerk's office grant, procurement of materials for six interior card-swipe readers at the annex (saving about $5,200 over a vendor quote) and repair work at the Jerome Combs Detention Center including HVAC and walk-in cooler repairs. The presenter said the county engaged Allara Engineering for a courthouse HVAC master plan and IMAG and architect Cole Jarvis are mapping ductwork and mechanical systems with ceiling-mounted and shoulder-mounted scanning equipment to produce a 3-D map of building systems.

The department designated Saturday, Oct. 25 as a maintenance day for waxing, carpet cleaning and painting in buildings with lower occupancy and said staff are preparing winter equipment and preventive maintenance schedules. The presenter also said the US Marshals Service would inspect the jail this month and that the department is coordinating visible maintenance work ahead of the inspection.

Formal action: the committee voted to accept and file the Buildings and Grounds report (motion by Mister Mariam, second by Denise Turner; recorded ayes and motion carried).

Why it matters: the report outlines short-term savings, identifies rising contract costs and documents investments in accessibility and building systems planning that affect facility operations countywide.