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Union County OKs engineering step for tax collector's private entry door
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Summary
After a public comment from Tax Collector Lisa Johnson, the Board authorized engineers and staff to pursue a change order to add a badge‑access entry/exit door to the tax collector's office, with an estimated construction cost of $5,000–$8,000 and county funds available for the courthouse project.
Lisa Johnson, Union County tax collector, asked the Board on Sept. 17 to allow construction of a private, badge‑access entry and exit for her office during ongoing courthouse renovations. "I'm just here to ask for your consideration to allow while they're doing all this construction to put in a entry exit door into my office," Johnson said during the public comment period.
Judge Mitch Bishop, introduced for the record as "Judge Mitch Bishop, Union County judge," told the board that any use of OSCA funds would require approval through the chief judge, while county-funded changes would not. "If it's OSCA funds, then, we have to go through the approval process, with the chief judge," Bishop said. County staff confirmed the board had already assigned $230,000 to courthouse renovations, and said that funds could cover additional work if a change order were appropriate.
Commissioners and staff raised engineering and security questions — including whether the wall is load bearing and whether the sheriff should review any badge‑access plan. County staff recommended that the contractor (Vince Robinson) engage an engineer to produce sealed plans and that the sheriff and chief judge be asked to review security implications before installation.
The board moved to "start the process" by authorizing the contractor to pursue engineering and to check security approval with the sheriff and chief judge, with staff to report back to the board. The motion was seconded and carried unanimously. Commissioners emphasized they would approve final contractor numbers before any payment and asked staff to return with final estimates.
What happens next: Staff will obtain engineering plans and cost estimates, confirm whether the work will be charged to the county project funds or require OSCA routing, and report back to the board at a future meeting before executing a change order.
