Butte County supervisors approved a $1.16 million renovation project to restore and modernize the basement area of the sheriff’s office at 5 Gillick Way. Desgined by Freepik

 

OROVILLE, CA (MPG) - Repairs and upgrades are moving forward for the basement of the Butte County Sheriff’s Office after a sewer system failure flooded the facility last year.

Butte County supervisors approved a $1.16 million renovation project to restore and modernize the basement area of the sheriff’s office at 5 Gillick Way. The damage dates back to April 23, 2025, when a sewer lift pump failure caused flooding that significantly damaged the interior of the basement.

The space has long been used for several sheriff’s office functions, making the damage disruptive to daily operations, officials said.

Interim General Services Director Dennis Schmidt said county staff moved quickly after the flooding to bring in a contractor to clean the facility and document the damage so an insurance claim could be filed.

The next phase of the project will restore the basement while bringing parts of the facility up to current standards. Planned improvements include updated bathrooms, new men’s and women’s locker rooms, upgraded office areas and new flooring throughout the basement.

County officials said the work will be completed using a Job Order Contracting process, which allows the county to move more quickly on repairs using pre-qualified contractors rather than a traditional public bidding process. Because the work will take place inside a secure law enforcement facility, contractors must meet security requirements.

“When you're working in a sheriff's facility, you can't have every average construction worker in there,” Schmidt said. “They all have to be background checked.”

Funding for the work will come from a combination of insurance reimbursements and public safety funding. Schmidt said the county expects about $214,304 in insurance payments for cleanup costs and another $453,846 for restoration of the damaged areas.

The sheriff’s office also secured $500,000 through the Community Correction Partnership to support the upgrades. Together, the funding sources bring the total project budget to $1,168,150.

Supervisors approved the project in February, along with the required budget amendment, and authorized construction to proceed. The board also approved a notice to proceed with Whole Construction and appointed the county’s General Services director to oversee the project.

The renovation will restore the flood-damaged space while improving facilities used by sheriff’s personnel, officials said.