MANSFIELD — The Richland County Jail has had the same kitchen — and most of its original equipment — since the 266-bed facility opened in 2008.
That kitchen will get an upgrade in 2026 at an estimated cost of around $550,000 with the money coming from the county’s capital funds.
County commissioners on Thursday took the first step toward the upgrade by approving a a $49,000 design contract with MAD Studio Architects of Mansfield.
Architect Brad Mauer and Craig Christie with Karpinski Engineering met with commissioners to discuss the project.
“This is a kitchen that runs seven days a week, 365 days a year,” Mauer said. “It’s a commercial kitchen that is now going on 20 years old.”
RCSO Lt. Jim Myers, the assistant jail administrator, told commissioners the jail averages around 215 to 220 inmates per day, which would be around 650 meals a day and more than 235,000 annually.
Mauer said the project will include replacing the ceramic tiled flooring with a floor that is made of resin epoxy and also replace floor drains to improve the drainage in the kitchen.
“It’s about 3,200 square feet of flooring and base that we’re going to replace to have it be a little less slippery,” he said. “Getting it to drain properly will make it a little bit safer down there and healthier.”
Mauer said it will take one to two months to design the project and that construction would take two to three months once a contract is bid and awarded.
Some of the kitchen’s equipment, including ovens and dishwasher, will also be replaced.
Maj. Jim Sweat said the kitchen has not been renovated since the jail opened.
“The equipment that is going to be replaced is the original equipment that was in the building when it opened,” Sweat said.
County administrator Andrew Keller said the biggest challenge during the project will be maintaining the flow of meals to inmates.
“The kitchen will be unusable during this two- to three-month construction period. We are in the process of contracting for a mobile kitchen to be stationed on site adjacent to the jail to provide a seamless provision of meals,” he said.
“It’s going to be challenging as far as some of the logistics are concerned, but we are going to get it done and we are looking forward to completing this project,” Keller said. “It’s overdue.”
The county currently contracts with Summit Correctional Services to provide inmate meals. The cost is is about $2.42 per meal, based on 651 to 700 meals per day.
Keller said the county is working with the company on an agreement that will have Summit sub-contract with U.S. Mobile Kitchens during the renovation.
“It’s not complete yet, but that’s what the team has been working on,” Keller said. That cost will be in addition to the construction project as an addendum to the current food vendor contract.
