Not too long ago, trash cans and buckets were common at the Floyd County Jail as the roof leaked onto desks and equipment.

But now sheriff’s officials are breathing a sigh of relief after a new roof with a 20-year warranty was completed this week at a cost of just more than $200,000. The original estimates had been at $900,000.

Inmates from the Floyd County Prison helped with the project and were trained by the contractor, Precision Roofing. But the labor was not the only way the department was able to cut costs, said Maj. Bob Sapp of the sheriff’s office.

“The state was going to charge us $45,000 and ask us to provide housing (for inmate labor),” he said. “(Warden Jeff) Chandler was able to give us state inmates, and we saved $45,000.”

Money was also saved by reusing a rock surface on part of the roof, a labor-intensive project that required moving half a ton of rock.

“That was in our plan,” Sapp said. “It would be a considerable investment.”

Sapp credited Chandler and former county employee Chris Jenkins with formulating the money-saving plan. Jenkins is now head of the street department for the city of Rome.

Not only did the leaky roof cause problems in cell blocks and offices, it was damaging jail equipment as well, causing problems with everything from doors and lighting fixtures to the jail’s intercom system.

“Now we can begin the process of repairing the significant electronic problem,” Sapp said.