[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=47207.97

Jail Encounters Flooding Problems

Kaitlin Vanderpool
For The News-Dispatch

LA PORTE - According to one official, floor drains were never installed during initial renovations made to La Porte County Jail in 2004 to save money.

But James Sosinski, La Porte County Sheriff's Department chief deputy, said it hasn't saved money because it's costing money each time the jail floods.

In recent weeks, there have been instances of an inmate flushing a blanket down a toilet, and another inmate knocked off a sprinkler head in a cellblock. Also during 2004 renovations, lines and pipes that were supposed to be capped were not.

The La Porte County Commissioners declared an emergency at the jail Tuesday after the overflow water and raw sewage from the flood ran down the walls of the jail. Some water even went to the basement, where the detective bureau is located. The overflow damaged case files and caused mold problems.

According to Sosinski, flooding problems also have caused major damage in the past. He said after a flooding incident last year, the overflow flooded the computer room and damaged the servers.

Since setting a May 13 deadline to accept bids for repairs, the county has received only one from Tonn & Blank Construction of Michigan City. It submitted a bid expecting drain installation and wall repair to cost around $100,000.

According to La Porte County Commissioner Bill Hager, the county will receive a second bid from Larson-Danielson Construction of La Porte soon.

County attorney Robert Szilagyi said last week he expects the cost of repairs to be less than $100,000.

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Kaitlin Vanderpool is a reporter for The La Porte Herald-Argus.

[edgeywood]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=47207.97

Who was the original contractor, engineer, architect for the renovation?