Construction of a portion of the Livingston County Jail expansion is ongoing, but additional money is being set aside for the project as unforeseen soil and utility conditions have cropped up.

Funding for the planning and construction of the Sheriff Storage Facility was originally approved to not exceed $800,000; however project officials recently requested an additional $28,000 in contingency funds due to some unforeseen conditions. The project has been tied into the construction of the new 911 Dispatch Center, where soil samples, hidden utilities and covered manholes indicated contingency funds may be needed to cover any issues they present due to the proximity to the jail.

The Storage Facility, which will house what Undersheriff Jeff Warder says is about $100,000 worth of equipment, was included in the original scope of the bond sale, with the remainder coming from the Capital Replacement Fund. Project Architect Brad Alvord says the additional $28,000 will not be spent until all of the bond proceeds have been exhausted.

A county subcommittee last week unanimously approved a resolution authorizing a transfer of funds from the Capital Replacement Fund to the Jail Expansion Construction Fund. The resolution still requires the Board of Commissioners’ approval, which is expected to come tonight. Their approval would give the Chair of the Construction Committee the authority to approve any change orders submitted for the storage project, as long as it does not increase the overall cost. (DK)