The County of Buena Vista is strengthening the security at the courthouse.

The board of supervisors approved on 30th June morning that board chair Paul Merten be allowed to sign an Otis elevator service and repair order, which will be a project that will add a secure second-floor elevator entrance, specifically for inmate transport.

During the hearing, Buildings and Grounds Superintendent Joe Keller told the board that the upgrade forms part of a larger initiative to minimise risks in the building and to keep inmates off public hallways.

The current system requires deputies to put up make-shift partitions during big trials, sometimes simply to keep defendants out of sight, Keller said. 

The elevator already has a private entrance, but Keller said there’s no second‑floor exit, which is what this project will add.

It’s also packed with new IT elements, and a camera inside the elevator, which Keller said is not included.

The county has to use Otis due to the specialised equipment, he said.

The project in total costs $74,018, but Keller said the county will pay $40,000 upfront to get a lower price. The down payment is money that has been saved for a bathroom renovation, but was cancelled.

Supervisors inquired about the start of work. Again, scheduling is dependent on contractors, plus the impractical, technical job of cutting in a new elevator door, Keller said.

There was a unanimous vote to move forward from the board.

Once completed, inmate transportation will be safer, more controlled and far less visible to jurors, victims and the public, Keller said.