County considers bailment agreement as local business offers space for court records

The county attorney presented a draft storage-and-bailment agreement to the Crawford County Board of Supervisors outlining terms to move court records currently stored at McHenry Miller to an off-site custodian. The draft would preserve ownership with the clerk of court, allow inspection during normal business hours, and require 30 days' notice before any sale or transfer by the custodian.

"A bailment agreement is just, someone agrees to essentially take possession of something without taking ownership of that thing," the county attorney explained while summarizing key provisions, including that the arrangement is gratuitous and the owner (clerk) retains title. The attorney advised the board the agreement might require state review and said the board could act with the proviso that the state might later require changes.

Local businessman Ken (identified in discussion as Kenny Crawford) told the board he plans to renovate and seal a 24-by-80-foot space to make it archival-safe and offered to store county records without charge for an initial period while cataloging and condition assessments are done. Board members raised questions about wet or contaminated files in a basement at the current store location and the mechanics of moving, cataloging, and securely destroying damaged records.

The board directed staff to revise the draft with clarifying language (specific file lists, termination/inspection terms), give a copy to the clerk of court for state review, and return with recommended edits and cost estimates before taking final action.