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Board considers renovating 108 W. 2nd as backup courtroom after elevator failures
Summary
Repeated courthouse elevator outages prompted commissioners to explore short-term backup space for courts; a proposed RFP would hire grant writers and fund a renovation of county-owned 108 West 2nd to create flexible meeting and courtroom space.
Commissioners discussed operational impacts tied to repeated elevator outages in the courthouse and explored contingency options to preserve court operations. The board heard that the elevator repairs were a temporary fix and that planned remodeling could take the elevator out of service for an extended period, creating access challenges for juries and ADA compliance. Commissioner David Veer Bauer proposed issuing an RFP for grant-writing services to identify funding for renovating the county-owned building at 108 West 2nd into dual-purpose commission meeting and courtroom backup space.
Commissioners considered alternatives—virtual courtrooms and temporary relocation—and noted grant programs (USDA, SEK RPC) as potential funding sources. Staff were directed to research grant eligibility, the cost of renovation versus full courthouse modernization, and potential timelines; no final procurement decision was made pending grant research and cost estimates.
