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Houghton County approves $193,000 for courthouse single point-of-entry to boost security
Summary
The Houghton County Board of Commissioners authorized $193,000 to create a single point of entry at the courthouse and directed UP Engineering to issue an RFP; the move was presented as a high priority for public and staff safety.
The Houghton County Board of Commissioners voted Feb. 10 to authorize $193,000 to retrofit the courthouse with a single point of entry and directed UP Engineering to issue a request for proposals. The funding was approved by a 4-0 vote.
Chairman Tom Tikkanen said the change is aimed at improving security for both the public and courthouse staff, calling the project "a high priority." Building Department Manager Todd LaRoux told the board that the most cost-effective approach is to use the first-floor public entrance and eliminate the first-floor women’s bathroom to create the controlled entry.
Sheriff Saaranen told commissioners the county faces physical security limitations inside the building and said he would share additional ideas with the board or a committee. Commissioner Glenn Anderson raised staffing-cost considerations for monitoring the entry; LaRoux said the engineering work covered interior costs while exterior improvements would be handled separately.
The board directed UP Engineering to prepare an RFP to solicit contractors and moved forward without dissent. The next steps are the engineering specification phase and a procurement process; the board did not set a construction start date at the Feb. 10 meeting.
