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Franklin County to Rent Mobile Kitchen During Jail Grease Trap Replacement
The $90,080 project will allow the county to keep inmates at the Farmington jail instead of boarding them out.
Published on Feb. 10, 2026
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Franklin County commissioners have awarded a $90,080 contract to replace the aging grease traps under the kitchen floor of the Franklin County Detention Center in Farmington. To avoid having to relocate inmates during the month-long project, the county will rent a mobile kitchen unit to be set up outside the jail, allowing food service to continue uninterrupted.
Why it matters
Replacing the outdated grease traps is a necessary infrastructure upgrade for the 40-year-old county jail. The mobile kitchen solution will save the county an estimated $90,000 to $100,000 that would have been required to board out inmates at another facility during the construction work.
The details
The grease traps, which are located under the kitchen floor, have been rotting and in need of replacement for several years. The county initially considered temporarily relocating inmates to the Somerset County Jail, but the mobile kitchen idea will allow the county to keep the inmates at the Farmington jail and not board them out. The $90,080 contract was awarded to H.E. Callahan of Auburn, with a hard stop date and fixed contract terms to be negotiated.
- The grease trap replacement project is expected to take about one month and is planned to begin in late May or early June 2026.
- The county jail became a 72-hour holding facility for nearly six years before returning to normal full-service operations in April 2015.
The players
H.E. Callahan
An Auburn-based construction company that was awarded the $90,080 contract to replace the grease traps at the Franklin County Detention Center.
E.J. Perry Construction Co.
A Hallowell-based construction company that bid $79,512 for the grease trap replacement project but was not selected.
Franklin County Detention Center
A 40-year-old county jail facility located in Farmington, Maine that is undergoing necessary infrastructure upgrades.
Scott Nichols Sr.
The sheriff of Franklin County who has been advocating for the grease trap replacement project for several years.
Dale Lancaster
The sheriff of Somerset County who discussed the possibility of temporarily housing Franklin County inmates at the Somerset County Jail in Madison during the grease trap replacement project.
What they’re saying
“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”
— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)
“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”
— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)
What’s next
The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.
The takeaway
This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.
