Jail roof to receive emergency patch

Whitman County commissioners Monday made an emergency declaration to provide a patch for the roof of the county jail. The declaration allows the roof work to be done outside of the normal bid process.

All Surface Roofing and Waterproofing, Spokane, which is now on site after landing the contract to replace the roof on the county-owned building at the corner of Main and Island, will do the work on the jail roof.

The emergency resolution set a $7,500 cap on the jail roof repair cost.

Bob Reynolds, county facilities manager, said the window of weather suitable to replace the roof has closed. The structural integrity of the jail would have been compromised without the emergency declaration, he said.

Without a patch, he said, the jail roof would continually leak throughout the winter. He said the roof has large leaks around vents and in the corners.

The roof has been patched, but not fully repaired since the jail was constructed in 1983.

A new jail roof is listed on the county’s list of capital improvement projects. Estimated to cost near $200,000, a contract for the project was intended to be let out this year.

Cost will be paid out of .09 dollars the county receives to upgrade facilities and spur economic development. The .09 dollars come as a rebate from the state’s share of sales taxes generated in the county.