By Sheri Trusty, Seneca County Media Relations Coordinator
Since he first took office, Seneca County Sheriff Fredrick Stevens has focused on renovating the jail and improving conditions for inmates. Extensive work throughout the jail created a healthier and more professional environment. Among many other projects, workers painted walls and replaced carpets, and exercise bikes and bigger televisions were added to the jail blocks.

Seneca County Sheriff Fredrick Stevens is leading a jail renovation project that is creating a healthier and more professional environment. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

One of the biggest obstacles Stevens faced was aging boilers that made heating the building difficult. The problem was addressed when the Seneca County Commissioners approved funding for an energy efficiency improvement project at the jail, which included the purchase of new boilers and new air handlers. The HVAC project began late last summer.

“This provides everything needed for heating and air-conditioning in the building, every day, 24/7,” Sheriff Stevens said.

The new boilers were scheduled to be installed first, to prepare the jail for the winter months, and then the air handlers were to be added, along with a remotely controlled operating system that would allow the jail’s maintenance supervisor to monitor and adjust temperatures off-site.

The original September completion date for the boilers was pushed to mid-October by the contractor, which subsequently pushed back the installation date of the air handlers. Currently, the boilers are installed, but installation of the air handlers is incomplete. Until the air handlers and remote control project is completed, the maintenance supervisor must adjust temperatures inside the jail manually.

Over the Jan. 4 weekend, an equipment problem caused the temperature to drop to a low of 66 degrees in one block. The boiler never quit working, and no part of the jail was without heat during the entire weekend. Throughout the months-long HVAC replacement project, the heat in the jail was only off once. During the first week of October, the jail was temporarily without heat, but the temperature in the block never dropped below 65 degrees.

The National Institute of Corrections requires an active response, such as issuing extra blankets to inmates, when the interior temperature drops below 68 degrees. During the heating issues over the Jan. 4 weekend, the lowest registered temperature was 66 degrees in the one affected block, just two degrees below the requirement. All jail inmates in the affected block were offered an extra blanket.

Because the heating problem was confined to only one block and only two inmates complained of being cold, jail staff did not believe the issue justified contacting maintenance. Had they done so, the maintenance supervisor would have willingly traveled to the jail to address the problem, just as he has done on many weekends and holidays.

“Our maintenance supervisor comes on weekends and holidays when needed. He is very dedicated,” Sheriff Stevens said.

When the maintenance supervisor arrived at the jail on Monday morning, he was soon able to address the problem and raise the temperature to 70 degrees, and the jail has experienced no further heating problems. On Jan. 6 and 7, temperatures inside the various blocks were 70 degrees or higher.

Once the contractor finishes the air handlers project and the remote system is in place, the maintenance supervisor will be able to monitor and adjust every block’s temperature remotely.

“After the air handlers are installed, we shouldn’t have any issues,” Stevens said.

Compassionate and responsible leadership has epitomized Sheriff Stevens’ term in office. He said he has worked hard the past four years to improve infrastructure and cleanliness at the jail, as well as the way his staff interacts with the public.

“As sheriff I take my responsibility seriously as I preach to my staff that every traffic stop or call for service on the road, every phone call answered by dispatch or staff, and every inmate in our jail should be treated like a family member of ours because it can be one of our family members,” Sheriff Stevens said.  “We have to have empathy and understand that we are charged with their health and welfare. That keeps me up at night.”