Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Courthouse Security topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commissioners weigh courthouse security upgrades and $97,000 elevator repair
Summary
The court debated installing locks and screening equipment and adding 2–3 deputies for courthouse security while planning a $97,000 elevator modernization. Commissioners discussed timing, historical-commission review for door lock installation, and funding options including contingency or savings.
Commissioners spent substantial time on courthouse security after the sheriff and courthouse security committee identified vulnerabilities. The court discussed a phased approach: secure doors and screening first, hire two deputies initially, then consider a third once systems are in place. County staff estimated $40,000 for door locks and roughly $97,000 to modernize the courthouse elevator.
“They're projecting 4 to 6 weeks to engineer it, then 12 to 14 weeks to get everything here, then 4 to 6 weeks to actually do the job,” a staff member said when describing the elevator timeline and cost estimates. Commissioners debated whether to add deputies now (a "limp‑in" approach) or wait until the locks and elevator work are complete to avoid committing to recurring payroll before full security is implementable.
The courthouse security committee reported bids for locks, a metal detector and an x‑ray proposal; committee members said an x‑ray bid they reviewed was "a little bit under 30,000." Commissioners agreed to include both lock and elevator capital items in the draft budget with the intention to revisit hiring and implementation timing during the budget process.
No final procurement or permanent hiring decision was taken in the workshop; staff were asked to include the capital amounts in the proposed budget and to coordinate timelines with the sheriff and security committee.
