By Rusty Nixon Correspondent
PLYMOUTH — Putting the finishing touches on one jail and tearing the other one down continues on the agenda of the Marshall County Commissioners.
The old jail will provide one last hurrah before coming down. The Plymouth Fire Department will use the structure for training exercises in  coming weeks. Plymouth Fire Chief Andy Metsker came before the Commissioners to ask for use of the facility to train his firefighters.

The department will use self-contained breathing apparatus to conduct the exercises that Metsker says will be valuable in simulating partial collapse of an industrial building for his men.
Superintendent of Grounds for Marshall County, Rick Ulrich, did express some concern over the use of the facility for training. He said that as a pre-requisite for lowering the cost of demolition, he and his men had undertaken work in the building.
“We went in there with flashlights and chainsaws,” stated Ulrich, saying that the pre-demolition work had left debris and sharp edges in the structure and with no electricity for light he felt it could pose a danger to the trainees.
Metsker said that while he appreciated Ulrich’s concern, the conditions were actually very beneficial for training that the department rarely has a chance to undertake.
The Commissioners voted to allow the training with Commissioner Kevin Overmyer requesting that the city provide a waiver of liability to the county beforehand.
The Commissioners also accepted a bid for asbestos remediation for the old building. Environmental Management Specialties was awarded the contract with a low bid of $35,600.
Meanwhile work continues on the new jail facility now in use.
Heating and cooling problems in the 911 control center will be addressed with an air return duct. The duct will address the air movement problem in the center that has kept it from having temperature control for those working in the environment. The duct will be installed at a cost of $9,100.
Heating in the garage area will also be addressed. Several options were discussed to attempt to bring adequate heating to the garage. In the end the decision was made to install a tube heating system at the cost of $2,618.
Removal of 40 feet of chain link fence that is currently in the right of way for the drainage ditch will also be undertaken for a cost of $650.
The county will purchase a new software program that will make the jail safer for those working there. The integration software, at a cost of $3,500, will allow staff monitoring cells to have warning information for prisoners in those cells posted on the monitor screen at all times.
Commissioner Jack Roose asked Sheriff Jon VanVactor about progress in “leasing” beds by bringing in prisoners from other facilities.
VanVactor explained that some prisoners were already being housed for Starke County and for parole violations. In order to house prisoners for the state it will require additional staff to provide programs such as education for those incarcerated.
Currently the Sheriff’s department charges $35 a day for outside prisoners housed in the jail.