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Pine County facility committee outlines single‑point entry plan, unarmed staffing and cameras at courthouse
Summary
A county facilities committee reported plans for a single‑point entry at the Pine County courthouse with a staffed kiosk, camera monitors and signage; the committee said the initial equipment cost cited was about $13,000 and staffing would come from a 2025 part‑time court‑security position and a pool of substitutes.
A county facilities committee update presented to the Pine County Board of Commissioners described a planned single‑point entry at the county courthouse that will include a staffed kiosk at the north entrance, cameras, a monitor and a screen behind the kiosk, and signage to direct public entry and exit.
A facilities presenter said the initial equipment package for the kiosk and associated hardware was approximately $13,000. The presenter said the county does not plan to install full metal‑detector screening at this phase; instead the county will staff a uniformed, unarmed person to monitor the main floor and camera feeds.
Commissioners pressed staff on hours and coverage. A staff member said the plan is to staff the kiosk during courthouse hours (roughly 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), but acknowledged that a single staffer could be temporarily absent for breaks or to respond elsewhere and that the county does not yet have guaranteed continuous coverage. The same staff member said the county budget included an additional part‑time court‑security position in the 2025 budget and that the kiosk would be staffed by a primary person with trained substitutes as a pool.
The presenter said the north door will be designated for entry and the south door for exit, and that signage and training will be used to get the public accustomed to the flow while keeping accessible automatic doors available. The committee’s description framed the current work as an initial “phase 1” set of measures; the presenter said a more extensive single‑point screening program with additional equipment and staffing could be implemented later if the county chooses to expand the effort.
Commissioner Nelson asked whether the staff would be present at all hours the courthouse is open; staff replied that the intent is to have presence during open hours but that brief periods without a person could occur. Commissioners asked about costs for armed security and the presenter cautioned that putting an armed person on duty would be substantially more expensive.
No formal board action was taken; the facilities report was informational and commissioners moved on to subsequent agenda items.
