Supervisor demands answers regarding jail damage
The Board of Supervisors directed the EconomicDevelopment Agency today to further investigate water damage on a new wing ofthe Smith Correctional Facility in Banning to determine whether the contractor,designer or county should carry the complete cost of the forthcoming $567,000repair job.
“We need to know when the flaw was discovered,” Supervisor Jeff Stonetold EDA Director Rob Field. “We need expert testimony as to what caused thisproblem. I hope it’s covered by (warranty); otherwise, the citizens of thiscounty are going to have to eat this cost. That’s not acceptable to me.”
The EDA proposed withdrawing $567,783 from a contingency fund to coverthe expense of replacing walls and a section of floor in one of the pods addedonto the Smith jail as part of an $80 million expansion completed in 2011.
According to Field, the walls and floor were damaged by a water leaktraced to a “design flaw.”
“We’ve advised them of what’s occurred. We anticipate action to coverthe cost of this failure,” Field told the board. “The jail is functioning.But the failure is unacceptable, and we intend to address it and pursue actionquickly.”
Stone opposed authorizing the use of any funds for repairs until thecounty was certain the cost was reimbursable. He focused on the date on whichthe leak was discovered and reported to EDA. Field was unable to confirm that,nor could sheriff’s officials immediately ascertain when the leak was found.
Stone noted that if the defect was located inside the 12-month warrantyperiod guaranteed by the contractor, the county would not have to cover anypart of the expense for repairs.
At Stone’s urging, the Board of Supervisors voted to defer any action onthe matter until next week, giving Field time to investigate and return tothe board with answers.
The Smith Correctional Facility expansion involved constructing threehousing units, covering 173,000 square feet, for a total of 582 additionalinmate beds.
