Carroll County approves $44,563 door‑access and camera upgrade for courthouse security

The Carroll County Board of Supervisors on Monday approved a $44,563 security upgrade to expand the courthouse key‑fob access system, integrate camera logging and move portions of the system to a cloud‑based platform.

Dalton (county staff lead on safety committee) told the Board the project grew from a safety committee recommendation and would extend fob access and logging to multiple interior and exterior courthouse doors. He said the upgrade would allow administrators to grant temporary access via a phone link, provide a photo with each fob scan for audit trails, and simplify remote access for authorized staff.

"Another thing that this also brings in is logging," Dalton said, noting that the system will record who scans each door and when. He described operational benefits including the ability for administrators to open doors from an app and temporary links that expire after a set time.

Board members discussed options and cost tiers. Dalton said the higher quote included camera‑verified scans and other features. Supervisors noted some frustration that access upgrades were not installed during a recent remodel but said the project advances employee safety. Several supervisors said the courthouse has moved toward single‑point entry at many counties and described the upgrade as a step in that direction.

The Board voted to accept the higher quote of $44,563 (the quote that included camera integration) and authorized paying from local option sales tax or capital reserves as appropriate. Dalton and staff said some maintenance, license, and support fees would recur annually and that county staff could program and maintain many system elements locally after installation.

The motion carried by voice vote.