County to purchase air purification systems for courthouse and jail

Howard County is planning to spend about $85,000 dollars of federal funds through the American Rescue Plan.  The money will be used to improve a camera system at the courthouse.  Those upgrades are estimated to cost more than $45,800 dollars.  The remaining amount, of more than $39,000 dollars, will be spent on an air purification system and monitors for the courtroom and downstairs on the office level.  Sheriff Bryan McJunkins said the system will help ensure that the public will remain safe from COVID or a variety of other airborne spread viruses during times of a jury trial, a standard court day, or just while the public is conducting their regular business within the courthouse.

Also included in the purchase, is a similar air filtration system for the jail.  Sheriff McJunkins said all inmate areas, as well as work areas for deputies and jail employees will be covered by the air filtration system.

The sheriff said the jail has avoided a COVID-19 outbreak so far and this type of filtration system will help see that inmates and employees stay healthy.