Footing, underground work on jail nearly done

Workers are busy at the future site of the Vernon County Jail. J.E. Dunn Construction is supervising the hectic crews who have been busy since the first week of July.

"We actually started construction the first week of July," Les Paine, site supervisor said. "Thus far we've got 100 percent of the footing installed and 80 percent of the underground rough-in; pluming and electrical installed. We anticipate completion to be spring of '09."

While weather has been a factor, it is one that was taken into consideration when estimating the time-frame of construction.

"We've had a few weather delays," Paine said. "Of course this is Vernon County and we've got a lot of wet weather down here. The weather hasn't held us up on the pad itself, but it has held up our site work but we're picking that up, every day we gain a little back so if the rain will hold off we'll get it back in shape too."

The metal building on the site wasn't part of Dunn's construction and it hasn't been handed over to them yet. Northern Commissioner Neal Gerster said two and a half weeks ago the construction company handling that had given the commissioners a commitment to have it ready in three weeks, but doubted it would be finished on that timeline.

"They told us they'd have that done in three weeks and that was two and a half weeks ago," Gerster said. "I don't know if they can do it by then but as soon as they do we can turn it over to Dunn. I think they want to store the stainless steel cells in there and some other things."

The cells will be constructed off-site and brought in already assembled.

"The cells are modular, pre-fabricated steel boxes," Paine said.

"They are coming from PolyJail company out of Indiana but I believe the cells are built by Steel Cell out of Georgia. They're a modular unit. When they show up they already have the fixtures inside and we just put them in place and hook them up."

It will be November before the shell of the building is up but there will be quite a bit of work before that happens.

Once the shell of the building is up construction can continue on the inside during the cold winter weather.

"It'll be November before the roof and the structure is complete," Paine said. "The whole outside is an EIFS (exterior insulation and finish systems) finish, a form of plaster which we will be doing in early November."