Legislature approves multiple capital projects to address aging jail doors, sally port and cell maintenance

Orange County legislators voted to create or increase capital projects to repair decades‑old infrastructure at the county jail, citing security and safety concerns.

The county requested $500,000 to replace exterior security doors and frames, including emergency egress doors and doors serving housing units, arguing the existing doors were weathered, rusting and increasingly compromising security. "The building is 25 years old… the exterior doors are starting to rust out, and it's becoming a security issue," a county representative said.

Separately, the county requested $575,000 for three projects: replacement/repair of the loading dock that supplies the jail kitchen, repairs to the vehicle sally port where prisoners are brought into the facility, and maintenance and replacement of fittings inside individual cells. The presentation described a loading dock that had deteriorated to rebar, creating hazards when kitchen carts cross the surface; a sally port concrete surface down to rebar that posed trip hazards; and cell fixtures and door components that were failing. The county representative noted past safety incidents tied to disintegrating cell components and said work would address toilets, sinks and doors.

Committee members asked if Department of Public Works or consultants had produced the recommendations; the presenter said DPW had been consulted and made the recommendations. After discussion, each funding request was moved and the committee approved the measures; each vote was recorded in the transcript as "motion carries." The meeting record does not include a roll‑call tally.

Officials said the work is preventive, citing a recent high‑profile jail escape elsewhere and past in‑facility incidents. The projects are intended to address immediate safety and liability concerns while the county plans longer‑term maintenance.