- October 13, 2024
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Just over a month after the Flagler County budget passed for fiscal year 2023, county staff is looking at potentially a $1.1 million shortfall to fund a security update at the jail.
County staff members went before the Board of County Commissioners on Monday Nov. 7, seeking approval to continue negotiations with Black Creek Integrated Systems Corp., one of two applicants for the project’s bid. The tentative price tag from Black Creek is $1,629,562, according to commission meeting documents.
The board ultimately approved the request to continue negotiations 4-1, with Commissioner David Sullivan dissenting, but not without concerns at the cost.
“I would have liked to have known this for budget negotiations for this year,” Sullivan said. “We knew about this system coming before we finalized all the details.”
Chris Torres, the subject matter expert who presented the request, said the updates are targeted as a “high priority,” and includes a variety of system updates. The county earmarked $500,000 between the fiscal year 2022 and 2023 budgets, but the remaining $1.1 million will potentially come from county’s financial reserves, County Administrator Heidi Petito said.
The county commissioners worked to trim the recent budget, which included raises for deputies at the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
Chief Information Officer Matthew Rivera said that if things did not work out with Black Creek, the county can reopen the application to new bids. However, Rivera said other vendors turned down the bid because of the project's scope, and said Black Creek specializes in inmate facilities.
This story has been updated to accurately reflect the commissioners' vote.
