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Commissioners approve elevator replacement, access-control upgrades and three-year fire-alarm contracts
Summary
The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners approved a $194,000 bid for the archives elevator replacement, $16,111.33 for access-control work on the seventh floor and dock, and three-year fire-alarm and security-monitoring renewals with New Era for jail and police post facilities.
The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved a series of physical-assets items including an archives elevator replacement, access-control additions on the county city building’s seventh floor and loading dock, and three-year fire-alarm and security-monitoring service renewals.
Bridal Roberts, director of physical assets, told commissioners the archives elevator project drew a single responsive bid from Schindler Elevator at $194,000. “The archives division was given funding for this within their budget in 2025, but it was only $150,000,” Roberts said, recommending the board bridge the approximately $44,000 funding gap. Commissioners approved the Schindler bid.
Katrina, an archives staff member, said the red-tagged elevator is used to move archival boxes — “it’s not a people mover” — and that the inability to use it has been an inconvenience for the archives staff. Roberts and other staff said the county is working to address related building-security issues raised after a recent incident.
The board also approved access-control additions and changes on the seventh floor and the county city building loading dock after staff presented a low quote from New Age of $16,111.33; a competing quote from PACE Systems was $22,471. Commissioners approved the New Age proposal to fill gaps in secure access points.
Separately, commissioners approved three-year service renewals with New Era for annual fire-alarm inspections and security monitoring at the jail and the police post. For the police post, staff said New Era’s proposed service is being applied retroactively to Jan. 7 because the vendor has serviced the site during the year. A competing vendor, VFP Fire Systems, quoted a shorter term and recommended hardware upgrades that carried additional one-time costs.
All items were presented by physical assets and facility maintenance staff and were approved by unanimous vote. Staff said the three-year renewals were selected in part for price stability and because New Era guaranteed rates for the contract term.
