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Wayne Co. to spend $534K to repair jail’s leaky roof

RICHMOND, Ind. (AP) – An eastern Indiana county is spending more than a half-million dollars to repair the roof of its jail, which leaks so often the sheriff jokes his chief deputy “keeps a raft in his office.”

The Palladium-Item reports the Wayne County Jail’s roof began leaking less than a year after the Richmond jail opened a decade ago.

County commissioners allocated $534,000 Wednesday for repairs to the roof, which has been patched 30 times in 10 years.

Sheriff Jeff Cappa jokingly told the commissioners the leaks in the jail’s administrative office occur so often “the chief deputy keeps a raft in his office.”

Commissioner Ken Paust says the county will seek restitution from the roof’s designer or installer for the repair work that will include installing new roof joints and flashing.