Clay County commissioners approve modified courtroom security plan funded by judicial grant

Clay County commissioners voted to approve a modified courtroom security plan on a motion and second after a committee presentation that described a less-intrusive alternative to an earlier, costlier redesign.

The project covers Courtroom A and the north side of the courthouse and was presented to the board as a revised approach that would preserve historic woodwork while improving security and accessibility. The board was told the modified plan should remain within the grant amount previously approved by the South Dakota judicial grant program.

The courtroom security committee — which the presenter said includes Judge Burns, Kim Allison, Jessica Posey and Andy Howe — proposed extending an interior corridor and installing controlled doors so inmates can be brought into the courtroom without moving through public seating. The committee’s presenter described moving the jury box and judge’s bench as disruptive and costly in the county’s 1912 courthouse and suggested enlarging circulation instead: “It’s a lot less intrusive,” the presenter said when comparing the corridor-extension approach to moving the historical woodwork.

The committee presented several cost points to justify the change. The original plan to reconfigure the jury box and judge’s bench was described as “a little over $100,000” for the large courtroom; the presenter said a single wall repair could cost about $15,000 and the original estimate had held a $46,000 contingency for historic woodwork repairs. A contractor’s preliminary estimate for the corridor-extension option was given as roughly $25,000, plus expected incidentals. The presenter and committee members told the board the revised approach would require less intrusive work and likely cost less than the earlier design while preserving historical finishes.

The presentation also outlined other operations and accessibility changes included in the modified plan: relocating or enlarging a jury room by removing a non–load-bearing wall, creating an ADA-accessible unisex restroom from two small restrooms adjacent to jury spaces, and adding secure doors wired to the building’s fire panel so doors automatically release in an emergency. Committee members said the revision would improve security for inmates, jurors, deputies, staff and judges and would provide better separation between juries and public seating on high-volume court days.

Commission discussion addressed courtroom capacity and ADA compliance. One commissioner noted that the existing jury box seats 12 and that multi-day trials typically require alternates, so expanding or reconfiguring seating would address frequent space constraints. The committee also said relocating the defendant’s point of entry so defendants no longer pass close to jurors or the gallery would reduce security risks on days when multiple inmates appear for routine proceedings.

The presenter said the grant that funded the original project remains intact and that the modified plan was expected to cost less than the amount already approved. The committee asked for formal commission approval to begin moving forward with design and bidding. A motion to approve the modified courtroom security plan was made, seconded and approved by voice vote; the minutes record the motion’s passage.

The board directed that the committee proceed with design and contractor outreach, noting that design-build procurement would be used when appropriate. The committee will work with contractors to develop specifications and a bid package consistent with the grant constraints.

Speakers quoted in this article are drawn from the meeting transcript and include the project presenter (identified in the record as the committee presenter) and Judge Burns, who served on the committee. Other participants on the committee named during the presentation were Kim Allison, Jessica Posey and Andy Howe.

The board’s vote authorizes the county to proceed with the modified plan and to use the existing judicial grant to finance the work. The committee will return with final scope and contractor documents as they become available.