At Friday afternoon’s Grayson County Fiscal Court meeting, County Attorney Clay Ratley updated magistrates on his review of the county’s contract with DLZ Architecture and Engineering firm regarding the expansion of the Grayson County Detention Center.
At the December 19 Fiscal Court meeting, magistrates approved a contract with DLZ pending a review of the contract by Ratley. Ratley said at the December meeting that the 28 page, single-spaced document is “pretty standard, but I need time to review” the contents more thoroughly.
During his review, Ratley noted that in the section of the contract dealing with disputes that may arise between DLZ and the county, if mediation does not solve the issue, Ratley prefers to utilize litigation in lieu of binding arbitration.
“I recommend we opt for the litigation route,” Ratley told magistrates and Judge-Executive Kevin Henderson, with magistrates and Henderson agreeing with Ratley.
Ratley also said he wants “good faith dates” included in the contract to ensure the work moves forward in a timely manner. Again, magistrates and Henderson agreed.
Ratley will now make the agreed upon modifications to the contract, which will then be signed by Henderson.
The roughly $11 million Grayson County Detention Center expansion will include 200 additional beds (bringing the total to just over 600 beds); cells for female prisoners; a female prisoner sally-port; kitchen and cafeteria areas for female inmates; and cells for disruptive prisoners.
Because of inclement weather, Friday’s Fiscal Court meeting was rescheduled from its regular date on the third Tuesday of each month.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com or 270-259-6000
