FARMINGTON – County commissioners are seeking bids for a new air conditioner at the jail after the old one quit last month.
Temperatures in the jail climbed to between 85 and 90 degrees last week, and one night it was 93 degrees in a cellblock, jail Administrator Sandra Collins told commissioners Tuesday.
Federal and state jail standards mandate temperatures in the living spaces must be kept between 65 degrees and 85 degrees, Collins said. Staff developed a contingency plan last week after calling 15 jails in the state to see if they would have room to house about 22 inmates at the Farmington jail, if they had to be moved.
Mechanical Services, the county’s heating, ventilation and air condition system contractor, determined the compressor failed in the “chiller,” which is the air cooling unit, Collins said.
Collins and Sheriff Dennis Pike both said because of the age of the unit, they would prefer to replace it rather than repair it. The two also said they didn’t favor renting a portable chiller unit because of the expense, estimated at $2,950 per week plus hook-up for seven to eight weeks, until a new unit could be installed.
The cost of renting the unit would be less than transferring inmates to other jails, estimated at $100 per day per inmate, according to information presented to commissioners.
When questions arose about the cost of a new cooling unit, Pike said, “I’d rather buy a new car.”
Collins said they already have a bid from Mechanical Services, but, to protect the bid process, declined to say what the cost estimate was.
County Treasurer Karen Robinson asked if Collins could give a range on the amount, such as between $20,000 and $50,000, but Collins declined.
County Clerk Julie Magoon said Robinson’s figures were close to the range of the cost.
Two separate bids were sent out, one to repair the unit and another to replace it, Collins said. The bids were sent to contractors interested in bidding, she said, with sealed bids due back by 4 p.m. this Thursday.
Commissioners scheduled a special meeting for 9 a.m. Friday, July 8, to review bids at the courthouse.
Collins said she didn’t feel as bad for inmates after talking to a person at a local nursing home, which doesn’t have air conditioning in the main portion of the center, and an Aroostook County jail representative, who said that facility had no cooling system.
Box fans could be placed in the library, classrooms and other rooms frequented by inmates, except the living quarters, Collins said. There are no electrical outlets in the living quarters. There are two vents in each cell that cycle the outside air through the jail.
She did feel bad for the staff, she said, especially those working in the hot kitchen. Other staff can take a break in the air-conditioned control room or cool off by fan in an office, she said.
At 1 p.m. Tuesday, the temperature at the jail was about 82 degrees, Collins said when reached there.
In other action, commissioners agreed to:
• send a new contract to Kingfield selectmen for $3,500 for its Fire Department to provide fire protection to Freeman Township from Freeman Ridge to the junction of Routes 142 and 145; and
• meet with Rangeley selectmen at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 14, in Rangeley to discuss a solid waste service contract for several unorganized townships.
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