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County committee approves $7,800 courtroom modification to provide staff emergency egress
Summary
Berkeley County’s Justice and Public Safety Committee approved a low-cost courtroom modification to alter benches and provide immediate egress for court reporters and staff after security concerns were raised.
Berkeley County’s Committee on Justice and Public Safety voted to approve a $7,800 contract to modify courtroom benches so court reporters and other courtroom personnel have a dedicated exit route behind the bench.
County staff said the changes were proposed after incidents in other jurisdictions and a recent local violent episode highlighted security gaps in courtroom layouts. The work, described by staff as rearranging and cutting existing benches to create an exit behind the bench rather than creating a new door through a concrete wall, was presented with three proposals ranging from approximately $7,800 to more than $89,000.
Committee discussion questioned the wide variance in bids and whether the clerk’s office had inadvertently uploaded an unrelated proposal. Staff explained the work is intended to be limited to adjusting existing bench components to create a safe egress and that one submitted quote appeared to be an uploaded document rather than a complete proposal. After discussion about scheduling the work around court calendars and limiting disruptive after-hours work, a motion to accept the $7,800 proposal and fund it from the general fund with IT involvement passed by voice vote.
Committee members emphasized the preference to receive complete bid documentation in future packets. The work is expected to proceed one courtroom at a time, with contractors to begin early mornings to minimize interference with court operations.
