Sheriff outlines evidence‑room audit options; vendor estimates range widely

The sheriff’s office and county staff discussed concerns about the county evidence room’s condition and potential liability. The sheriff said he contacted an out‑of‑state firm that told him verbally the work could range "between 9,000, $10,000" for basic services and "between 20, upwards of 75,000" for more comprehensive work, depending on the room’s size and complexity. The sheriff proposed that the office perform an internal audit and bring in an outside agency as a witness rather than immediately paying for a full external audit.

Commissioners requested written estimates and copies of the insurer’s recommendations before authorizing any expenditure. One commissioner emphasized the high cost of maintaining a separate, aging building used for evidence storage and asked staff to include relocation costs in any estimate. "So we got that outside source coming in. It won't cost us anything that way," the sheriff said of bringing a neighboring agency to witness the audit. The board asked staff to produce emails and vendor responses for verification at a future meeting.