GOLD BEACH – Curry County officials, worried about the health of jail inmates and officers because of a failing ventilation system, will apply for a $50,000 grant, but getting it would require the county to come with another $107,000, money the county doesn’t have.

“What we really are asking for is somehow to come up with $107,000 if we get the $50,000,” Commissioner George Rhodes said at a recent commission meeting.

County Maintenance Coordinator Eric Hansen said the system should replace the air in the jail 2 1/2 times an hour.

“Presently, it’s 2 1/2 times in 24 hours,” Hansen said.

“We had an event where we had to issue inmates long underwear,” Undersheriff Bob Rector said.

He said the current equipment, at least 20 years and some say 40 years old, is not distributing heat or distributing fresh air in the jail

Rector said there was a chance to get a USDA grant to pick up $50,000 of the cost of replacing the system.

“The county would have to come up with the remainder,” he said.

“It’s not just the heat that’s the problem,” Commissioner Bill Waddle said. “It’s the air movement and the heat.”

He said that results in health problems.

Rector said many of the inmates at the jail are not healthy and carry diseases and the lack of air movement spreads those diseases.

He said the Sheriff’s Department employee are also exposed to illnesses because of the lack of air movement.

“We are not sealed off in the adjacent areas. Patrol, detective, dispatch staff, are all exposed,” Rector said.

Waddle said the county can’t afford to take on another $100,000 hit to the general fund, “but I don’t think we have a choice.”

Hansen said the cost of repairing the present equipment is the same as replacement.

“And that duct work would be too small to meet requirements,” he said.

Rhodes said he was concerned about liability if a disease broke out among the inmates because of the lack of air movement.

“We also have employees there,” he said.

“Our options are limited,” Rhodes said. “I don’t know where we will come up with $100,000.”

The commissioners then authorized the Sheriff’s Department to apply for the grant.