SIOUX CITY — The Woodbury County Board of Supervisors has postponed a $200,000 improvement project for the auditor and recorder’s offices due to issues with the courthouse’s broken freight elevator.
The board on Tuesday decided to delay deciding on two projects: up to $75,000 for the recorder’s office and up to $125,000 for the auditor’s office, both from the capital improvement fund.
Building Services Director Kenny Schmitz said the freight elevator in the courthouse broke down last Thursday. The elevator is used to transport inmates to the courtrooms and provide access to the WCICC office.
Schmitz said the county’s elevator service company has informed them that they can no longer get parts for the elevator.
“They have been using decommissioned parts from other elevators that they have taken out across the country and those parts are no longer available,” he said. “The last few repairs they did for us, they actually had some parts fabricated for us. They are no longer comfortable fabricating parts for us because of the risks associated with doing that.”
Schmitz said they need a custom-built elevator because elevator manufacturers create cookie-cutter-like patterns, and the historic courthouse elevator does not fall within those dimensions.
Right now, Schmitz said they are “living on a hope and a prayer” by operating the elevator manually.
Schmitz believes he will have more information about possible costs in two weeks, but estimates it would be between $150,000 and $300,000 to replace it and at least six months to get it manufactured.
Currently, there is $75,000 unallocated in the capital improvement funds for the current fiscal year, and if they delay the auditor and recorder’s office improvements, they could have $275,000 set aside for the elevator.
The supervisors decided to delay the auditor and recorder’s office projects in order to learn more about the elevator replacement. The supervisors agreed that replacements and repairs are needed in the offices, but the elevator takes priority.
The supervisors also delayed voting on a proposed $31,157.70 repair project for the Anthon Courthouse due to the potential elevator costs.
During the annual budget review this year, Auditor Michelle Skaff brought forward an improvement request for the replacement of furniture and workstations for the auditor, finance and recorders offices.
Skaff said the cubicles are in disrepair and she is concerned about the safety of the office, with no separation of the staff from the public.
On Tuesday, Skaff provided estimates for the projects. After the decision was delayed, Skaff said she wants to look at the bids to see if they could still do the security improvements and facility repairs, and delay replacing the cubicles.
Recorder’s office
The $75,000 approved would be used in the recorder’s office to:
— Open plan cubicles for 9 full-time staff;
— New secure entrance;
— Replace damaged front counter;
— Repair window seals and replace blinds;
— New public table and chairs;
— Repair and paint for floors and ceiling in vault area;
— Paint/antislip for stairs and railings;
— Repair/replace microfilm counter and;
— Add ceiling fans to vault area.
Skaff said the decision to get used cubicles saves $6,144. They received two bids for the project: Office Furniture Options for $58,709 and Office Elements for $64,853. Some of the items they requested did not have estimates in the bid, so costs could change.
Auditor’s office
The $125,000 for the auditor’s office would be used for:
— Open plan cubicles for 6 full-time staff, 4 temporary staff, 1 secure workstation for elections;
— New secure entrance with key fob access;
— Secure front counter that mimics the historical counter in the recorder’s office;
— New carpet;
— Repair window seals and replace blinds;
— New secure room for elections with key fob access and;
— One worktable area and one mail machine table.
Skaff said the decision to get used cubicles will save $10,788. The project also received two bids: Office Furniture Options for $110,029 and Office Elements for $120,817. Some of the items they requested did not have estimates in the bid, so costs could change.
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Caitlin Yamada
Education and county government reporter
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