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Cowlitz County outlines Hall of Justice remodel costs, plans popup courtroom and security upgrades
Summary
County officials said construction work at the Hall of Justice will begin Aug. 18 and include audiovisual, security and HVAC work estimated at about $46,000–$50,000; courts will use temporary "pop-up" AV equipment so proceedings can be recorded and stored.
Cowlitz County commissioners and staff on Tuesday detailed plans for a remodel of the Hall of Justice that officials said will begin Aug. 18 and require temporary Friday closures to allow contractor work. The board discussed audiovisual equipment, security screening and larger HVAC and electrical upgrades tied to an energy-construction contract that will be brought forward for public review.
County staff said the remodel matters because superior and district courts must be able to record, store and preserve court proceedings, and those requirements are driving the need for new audiovisual and security equipment. Commissioners also said the HVAC and electrical work is a major capital expense that the public should see in advance of contract approvals.
Public services manager Savannah Clement told commissioners the county plans to use a mobile, non-permanent “pop up courtroom” system so courts can record hearings without making permanent fixtures in the meeting room. “The courts are required to record, save, and store, their court proceedings, and so that's the larger cost, which is about $24,000,” Clement said. She described that system as portable so it could be used at alternate locations if the Hall of Justice were unavailable.
Clement summarized other expected needs: a baggage scanner to supplement existing screening, a judge platform (about the height of a step) and other temporary accommodations. She said the audiovisual and related items together are currently estimated at roughly $46,000 to $50,000 and that those costs are separate from the planned HVAC replacement project being pursued with an energy services company (ESCO).
Commissioners said the Hall of Justice will be closed on some Fridays to allow contractors full weekend access and minimize schedule impacts. Clement said the county is weighing whether to lease or purchase a baggage scanner and is checking whether other county facilities would use one if it were purchased. She also said the county has a backup metal detector it can deploy if a permanently installed baggage scanner fails.
Commissioners and staff said they would include the remodel and the pop-up courtroom costs in the budget materials and make documentation available to the public. Clement said she provided handouts with project details for the board’s review and public access. The board set no new policy at the meeting; staff said contract approvals and any larger budget commitments will be brought back to the board for formal action.
