Overton Replacing Jail’s Broken HVAC Unit

Overton County considering bids for a new HVAC unit to replace one in the county jail that broke down a couple months ago.

Sheriff John Garrett said they have fixed the unit numerous times but it has become too worn with age to repair any further. Garrett said the unit primarily serves the jail’s squad room and booking area.

“And it broke down right at the end of our fiscal year when our county commission was attempting to get a budget passed,” Garrett said. “So they were not able to get a budget passed until last month. So we had to wait for a while until the budget passed before we could start putting out the advertisement for bids.”

Garrett said they have been managing the temperature of that area by circulating air from other portions of the jail with fans. Garrett said the exact timeline to install the new unit is unclear but it will have to be operational before the weather gets too cold.

“It doesn’t really affect the inmate population as a whole,” Garrett said. “But it does affect the operation of the jail and some of the inmate population.”

Garrett said that particular unit has been in use at the jail for over twenty-three years so finding the parts to repair it was becoming harder and harder.

“It came at a bad time, but we did know that eventually we would have to replace it,” Garrett said. “And we’re going to have to replace all of them at some point. Now, a few years ago we replaced a good majority of them but this was one of those units that was not replaced.”

Garrett said there are not any plans to replace the other old units but they will be closely monitored and repaired or replaced as the need arises.

“This one is, of course, extremely pressing,” Garrett said. “But as far as I know, knock on wood, all the rest of them are still doing OK.”