COLUMBUS-The Polk County Board of Commissioners approved two bids this week to purchase furniture and jail supplies for its new law enforcement center, which is still on schedule for construction to be completed the end of this month.

Commissioners met Monday, Feb. 5 and heard from Polk County Jail Administrator Capt. Jerry Williams about the quotes to equip the new jail and sheriff’s office.

The furniture, which will include everything from desks, chairs, tables, hutches and filing cabinets was approved at $17,030 from Value Business Interiors out of Greenville, S.C. And additional bid for chair mats was approved for $3,150 for a total of $120,180.

Value Business Interiors was the low bid and offered discounts on used filing cabinets that both Williams and Polk County Sheriff Donald Hill told commissioners they did not have a problem with having used.

The other furniture bid came from PBI Commercial Interiors out of Asheville, for $139,766, which did not include any used items.

Commissioners also approved a bid for $43,394 to Charm-Tex, out of New York, for jail supplies. The supplies range from inmate clothing and shower and cleaning supplies to mattresses, blankets and towels for the jail.

Williams said the used filing cabinets looked new and the quote includes delivery and set-up as well as a warranty.

Williams said on the jail supplies, the other quote from BobBarker out of Charlotte did not include everything the jail needs, so he recommended Charm-Tex.

Both companies are ready to deliver once the new law enforcement center is ready to operate.

County manager Marche Pittman said the amount of the bids fit with what the county budgeted for the new law enforcement center. Pittman said any expenditure over $30,000 has to have commissioner approval even if it’s included in the budget.

During the county’s January meeting, Paul Luzier with Moseley Architects, said the construction was 92 percent complete and was still on schedule to be complete by the end of February. Once the construction is complete, the county will have to install things like IT equipment as well as have the furniture and supplies delivered before taking occupancy of the building. Count officials said the new jail and sheriff’s office should be operation by March or April.

Polk County took out a $13.5 million loan to construct the new law enforcement center, which will be a 60-bed facility, compared to the current jail, constructed in the 1970s, which is a 25-bed facility.

The county purchased 19.19 acres of property adjacent to the Milliken plant just outside Columbus Town Limits for $1,950,000 and another 2.6 acres off Park Street for $125,000 for a total land purchase price of $2,075,000 to construct the new law enforcement center. The purchase price included site preparation for the new law enforcement center. Some of the property was purchased for future needs, such as a new courthouse and possible administrative offices.

The construction bid to hire Cooper Construction was $9,603,350.