County board drops courthouse security addition

After voting on June 26 to proceed with the design phase of the proposed Courthouse Security Addition (Option E), Wadena County Board members abandoned the project Tuesday.

Instead of having workers add on to the front of the Courthouse, which would have included a metal detector and housed a bailiff to control entry into the building, the commissioners decided to go with a "Band-Aid" solution, which involves a metal detector being put outside the large courtroom, a part-time bailiff on staff for court days and a perimeter of metal poles connected with plastic tape being put in place to inhibit entry to the courtroom.

Board members voted to:

move the Law Library from its present location on the upper level to a new location on the lower level presently occupied by Emergency Management Services and the Veterans Service Office;

• move the Veterans Service Office to another location, either in the Wensman Building or the Highway Department building;

• move the Emergency Management Services office into the Sheriff's Department space;

• move the present Judge's Chamber to the present Law Library space;

• enlarge the small courtroom;

• and remodel the existing private restroom adjacent to the Judge's Chamber.

The possibility of constructing a concrete block security barrier in the current upper level foyer was not included in the commissioners' motion, but may be added later.