Courthouse elevator to receive improvements

What has been needed for years, and paid attention to by state officials, has a plan for the future.

Monday, Union County Board of Supervisors approved bids and funding for needed improvements to the elevator within the courthouse. The 1973 model has shown its use and age. County officials said state officials have told them something better must be done, or else.

Supervisors approved two bids, one from Total Construction Solutions and another from TK Elevator combined for $232,519 for the needed work. To pay for the repairs, the county will use a combination of $181,214 from its own captial project budget; $36,000 from American Rescue Plan funds and $15,000 from the Law Enforcement Center funds.

As part of his fiscal year 2024 budget proposal, in January 2023 courthouse grounds manager Shaun Lauer proposed $10,000 a year for the next four years to fund refurbishing of the elevator. He also requested $10,000 for fiscal year 2024 for unscheduled elevator repairs.

Lauer said then the maintenance company explained the challenges of having a 1973 model.

“Now it becomes very hard to maintain because accessibility of parts. The state says if you make improvements to a certain point, that is considered full modification. They came back, gave us a ballpark of $113,000 in improvements and upgrades,” he said. Lauer said the state had explained how the elevator could be shut off if no improvements were made.

A schedule for the work has not yet been scheduled.

In other supervisor news...

Supervisors also approved repairs to the courthouse boiler system. A bid from Excel at $9,371 was approved. American Rescue Plan funds will be used. Those funds were provided by the federal government during the COVID pandemic to make up for lost revenues. Union County’s allotment is nearly spent.

Civil service appointments were approved for Loretta Harvey, four-year term; Marc Roberg, two-year term and Todd Jacobson, six-year term. The committee oversees promotion, transfer, dismissal, discipline and other related conditions of employment on the basis of merit.

Supervisors scheduled a budget amendment public hearing for 9:30 a.m. Dec. 30. Various departments have had changes to their budget including costs related to the new cabins at Three Mile Lake and insurance claims.

Supervisors tabled the 2024 hazard mitigation plan for further review.

Secondary Roads superintendent Al Hysell said more than 20,000 gallons of brine for treating roads for ice were used Friday. Before the application, there was about 24,000 gallons in storage.