FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 4, 2024
Inmate Meal Revision Necessary Due to Extensive Kitchen Repairs
The kitchen facility at the Travis County Correctional Complex is more than 20 years old and has been functioning at full capacity every single day of those 20 years to feed three meals a day to an inmate population that currently averages 2200 people.
A Travis County assessment conducted in 2015 recommended the kitchen be renovated to address “major physical deficiencies” and improve efficiency as part of its 2016 Adult System Master Plan, which included a new Central Booking Facility, Female Housing Facility and Training Academy as well as a plan for decommissioning old buildings. That plan was postponed by Commissioners Court, and over the years myriad repairs have been made to keep operations running smoothly.
Time has taken its toll on the kitchen’s plumbing infrastructure and a rupture in the main drain line system has been detected under the concrete foundation. This issue requires excavation to trench under the slab until the rupture is located, then make necessary repairs. The extent of the damage won’t be known until the trenching allows crews to visualize the problem in its entirety.
The problematic area sits directly below the section of the kitchen where hot meals are prepared. To minimize the amount of work in this area and to reduce the amount of water entering the building plumbing system, TCSO will temporarily limit the number of hot meals served to inmates each day.
Cold meals consist of sandwiches, fruit, vegetables, pretzels, and applesauce. All inmate meals are constructed and approved by licensed dieticians and are designed to meet specific nutrition and calorie standards.
TCSO’s maintenance supervisor is collaborating with the contractors who will be responsible for the plumbing project to work out a labor schedule that minimizes the number of days it will take to complete the job, therefore minimizing the negative impacts on kitchen functionality. This may require the contractor to arrange for workers to be on shifts that keep the project operational 24/7, or as close to it as possible.
The excavation work and the inmate menu modifications begin today. (March 4, 2023)
“It’s unfortunate that we’re dealing with this challenge. We have many old buildings that are showing their age, and our maintenance team does an incredible job of keeping our facilities in the best shape possible. I’m thankful to our TCSO team and to the plumbing contractors who are dedicated to fixing this very significant issue as quickly as possible.”
-Sheriff Sally Hernandez
###
Submitted By: Kristen Dark, Sr. Public Information Officer (512) 854-4986