Buena Vista County is tightening courthouse security.
The board of supervisors voted Tuesday morning to authorize Board Chair Paul Merten to sign an Otis elevator service and repair order — a project that will add a secure second‑floor elevator entrance designed specifically for inmate transport.
Buildings and Grounds Superintendent Joe Keller told the board the upgrade is part of a larger effort to reduce risks during court proceedings and keep inmates out of public hallways.
Keller said the current setup forces deputies to improvise during major trials — sometimes putting up temporary partitions just to keep defendants out of sight.
The elevator already has a private entrance, but Keller said there’s no second‑floor exit, which is what this project will add.
The work also includes new IT components and a camera inside the elevator — something Keller said is currently missing.
He noted the county must use Otis because of the specialized equipment.
The total project cost is $74,018, but Keller said the county will pay $40,000 upfront to secure a lower price. That down payment comes from funds previously set aside for a bathroom remodel that was later canceled.
Supervisors asked when work could begin. Keller said scheduling depends on contractors — and on coordinating the messy, technical work of cutting in a new elevator door.
The board voted unanimously to move forward.
Keller said once the project is complete, inmate transport will be safer, more controlled and far less visible to jurors, victims and the public.
