Elevator failure leads to jail route alternative

The main elevator in the courthouse broke down late last week putting those who could not use the stairs to get to the second floor headed in the direction of the jail.

The elevator has not been upgraded since the courthouse was built in 1954 and if something breaks on it, parts are more and more difficult to find, said Bob Reynolds, county facilities and maintenance manager.

Those not able to use the stairway were asked to notify a member of the assessor’s staff in the office near the elevator. They were escorted to the jail’s elevator and then through the skywalk to the second floor of the courthouse.

“That’s not a long-term solution,” Reynolds said.

He said the county has tried to qualify for grants, but it’s difficult because the concrete elevator shaft can’t be enlarged, so the project would entail either a free-standing elevator or new elevator built in the lobby. Preliminary architect’s estimates make it a substantial cost for the county, Reynolds said.

The county is planning to make some Americans with Disabilities Act upgrades to the restrooms in the courthouse some time this spring, Reynolds said. The elevator will remain on a “want list,” he said.