McLOUD, Okla. –Mabel Bassett Correctional Center is in the middle of a massive undertaking.
“I go on the roof everyday. It’s just what we do around here, inmate Susan Ratcliff said.
Rather than wait on bids and HVAC contractors, Inmates volunteered to change out nearly 60 rooftop AC units.
The lowest outside bid was $900,000. ODOC was able to buy the equipment and install it for half that.
“That’s just at that one facility," Construction and Maintenance Manager Micah Hobson said. “We’ve done the same thing at LARC. We set most of those in house. We are saving at least $500,000 per yard.”
And the inmates are learning a valuable trade and life skills like hard work and responsibility.
These projects are part of $116-million dollar bond initiative. By replacing a 20-year old system with high efficiency heat and air, the savings to Oklahoma taxpayers is extraordinary.
“It’s kind of a green energy thing,” Hobson said. “We are losing way less energy.”
The HVAC meets all federal mandates, saves money and keeps the staff and much more comfortable.
