Facilities manager outlines Liberty Mutual safety recommendations, flags jail and Franklin Street work

Mister McDonald, the county facilities manager, briefed commissioners on a Liberty Mutual risk-inspection report and outlined a multi-year approach to implement recommendations while acknowledging budget constraints.

McDonald said some recommendations will require staged capital investment — for example, extending sprinkler piping across multiple campus buildings would be costly and likely take five to 10 years to complete. He said staff will prioritize commonsense, high-impact fixes such as a hot-work program, installing alarms on hot-water heater pans and replacing electronic shutoff valves in high-risk cells.

On the dispatch computer floor, McDonald said the county lacks documentation that wiring beneath the raised floor is appropriately rated; he told commissioners he will meet tomorrow with the fire marshal to determine whether smoke detection or suppression is needed.

McDonald reported the jail has seen recurring water intrusions and that crews have installed electronic shutoffs in many trouble cells, improving the situation "about a third" of the way to full mitigation. He estimated electronic valves cost about $2,000 each and said the county will proceed where budget allows.

Separately, McDonald described unexpected plumbing defects uncovered during Franklin Street renovations: bathrooms discharging improperly and trunk lines at improper elevations. A subcontractor reportedly refused to continue without resolution; commissioners asked the administrator to identify contractual obligations and to have staff report back on options and likely financial exposure.

Commissioners pressed McDonald and the administrator on communication lapses after the Liberty Mutual report arrived months earlier and urged prompt follow-up with the county’s risk pool and insurer so the county can negotiate reasonable implementation timelines.