JARRETT GOODMAN
Staff Writer
The Marion County Jail’s ongoing expansion has recently received a new change order by the county Board of Mayor & Commissioners.
During the board’s November meeting, both Mayor David Jackson and Commissioner Steven Franklin explained how the change order was sent over by the state’s Fire Marshall’s office. The change order pertains to the addition of fire-rated confrontations being added to the expanded portion of the facility located in proximity to the jail’s control room. Some of these additions include new smoke barriers to different cell blocks, and the existing main controller of the control room. Other additions include new doors, hardware, changes to the fire prevention system, the rating of exterior doors and railing for the roof of the jail.
“This is not something that the engineer or the architect, or even the contractors have come up with. This is all from the state’s Fire Marshall’s office that require us to do this,” stated Jackson.
The cost of the change order as presented was $67,270, and Mayor Jackson pointed out the Tennessee Department of Corrections is expected to visit the jail and inspect the ongoing work surrounding the project. He noted how crews are undergoing work on the jail’s secondary floor, with a crane being utilized to help construct and add the new floor to the jail.
“If you’d come by today, you’d see a huge crane setting the second floor in,” said Jackson.
The county-based board unanimously agreed to the newly required change order, with all additions now expected to be put in place during ongoing work.