Crow Wing County commissioners made final adjustments Tuesday to the plan to renovate the board room with a new interest in security.
The board has been in the process of considering plans for a remodeling of the third-floor courtroom in the historic courthouse on Laurel Street. Since the judges moved to the Judicial Center down the block, the commissioners converted the former historic courtroom into their meeting room.
Plans are now in place to remove the jury box and save a portion of the judge's bench as a new u-shaped board table. The oak rail and gallery seats will remain.
In light of the recent Morrison County shooting in the county board meeting room, Commissioner Dewey Tautges asked if more security measures should be considered as part of the construction process. Two panic alarms were already planned.
Commissioner Doug Houge said the board needed to consider more than just changes in the bid documents for the board room project. Tautges said other options may not be needed if a metal detector was in place.
"We can't protect ourselves from idiots and to put in metal detectors, how many metal detectors would we have to put in?" said Commissioner Paul Thiede, who told the board he applied for a permit to carry a concealed handgun after the Morrison County incident. "We have four major entrances to this building and all the rest of them. Where do you start and where do you stop?"
County Attorney Don Ryan said he has talked about the board's security with Sheriff Todd Dahl. Ryan suggested the public meeting was not the suitable place to discuss what security measures the board may take.
"The other important issue we need to make right out there is this is a public building, this is the public's business and that we don't want to do anything in a closed fortress setting," said Board Chairwoman Rachel Reabe Nystrom. "This is open to the public. We want the public to come here so we don't want to do anything by perception or reality to make people think now we are so frightened that we are up here doing our business behind high security because that's not what we're all about. We just need to figure out a way to balance the safety of our employees with the public's business."
The board agreed to add a bid option covering an estimated $8,000 to $10,000 for additional security measures for future consideration.
Wold Architects and Engineers completed the design for the remodeling project. Following the bid process, construction is expected to begin in September and be completed in mid-December.
RENEE RICHARDSON may be reached at renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5852.
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