By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Of the four floors at the Barton County Courthouse, the second and third are the ones most used by the public. Not everyone can climb the stairs to get to them. That makes a working elevator vital to conduct county business. The Barton County Commission recently approved a modernization of the elevator for $122,300.
"The way our courthouse is set up right now, the public needs to be able to get up to those other floors," said Commission Chair Shawn Hutchinson. "When that elevator is broke down, it creates a heck of a bottleneck here at the courthouse."
County Administrator Matt Patzner explained the elevator has experienced several service interruptions in recent years, likely due to its mechanics being housed on the roof. The bid from Whitewater-based Cabb Elevator includes electrical components, a power unit, wiring, hydraulic oil, a piston, and a cylinder. A bid from the current service provided came in at $110,000, but did not include the replacement of the jack at an additional $70-100,000. The modernized elevator has a life expectancy of 40-50 years.
"I know $122,000 is a lot of money, but when you look at 40 years and spread it out, it's really not that much," said Commissioner Duane Reif. "We've got to supply a place for people to go up down to the third floor."
The county will be able to utilize state tax credits to pay for a portion of the project. The county will also save approximately $4,000 with no maintenance costs on the remodel for one year.