County awards bid for new jail boiler

Published 8:54 am Saturday, March 11, 2017

Though funding questions aren’t resolved, the Clark County Fiscal Court approved a contract to replace the failing boilers at the county jail.

The magistrates voted to accept the $204,475 bid from TP Mechanical in Lexington. The next best bid was from Lexington-based CPS at $242,962.31.

Ed Boss, an engineer asked to review the bids, said there was little difference, if any, between the two bids. The equipment specified in each appeared to be identical and were high efficiency units.

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The magistrates voted 5-0 in a special meeting Friday morning; Magistrate Robert Blanton was out of town and Judge-Executive Henry Branham was sick.

In February, one of the boilers left the jail temporarily without hot water. A state inspector allowed it to be patched, but gave the county 45 days to replace it. Jailer Frank Doyle said the boilers were installed when the jail was built in 1991 and are at the end of their life.

The court took no action on funding the project, but indicated it might be financed through the Kentucky Association of Counties. County Treasurer Jerry Madden said there are options for five or seven year leases. The bid with TP calls for 30 percent of the cost to be paid when the contract is executed. County Attorney Brian Thomas said the initial payment could be taken from the county’s capital equipment fund and then be paid back when the financing is approved.

About Fred Petke

Fred Petke is a reporter for The Winchester Sun, the Jessamine Journal and the State Journal. His beats include cops, courts, fire, public records, city and county government and other news. To contact Fred, email fred.petke@bluegrassnewsmedia.com or call 859-759-0051.

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