Costs are rising for improvements at the Forsyth County jail

Forsyth County is working to replace locks at the county jail to prevent inmates from jamming them and opening the doors. That’s according to a presentation shared with the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners this week.

At a meeting Thursday James Anderson Jr., Forsyth County design and construction manager, said they’re planning to replace existing locks on swinging doors at the jail with a new lock body that will “reduce inmates' capabilities of jamming the lock assembly.” 

The lock replacements are among several maintenance projects county staff members say are needed at the county’s jail, also known as the Law Enforcement and Detention Center, and Anderson told commissioners costs are rising. 

“Prior to COVID, we were projecting a $15 million budget gap over 10 years," he said. "After updating for current pricing, we're looking at about a $36 million dollar funding gap over 10 years.”

The funding issues aren’t unique to the jail. Construction costs for roofing projects at the Walkertown Library and Youth Detention Center are also skyrocketing. 

“We were doing roofing projects for about $15 a square foot," he said. "Now we're seeing up to $45 a square foot for a similar type of project.”

Both roofing projects and detention center lock and elevator upgrades are slated to be completed by 2025.