HUTCHINSON, Kan. — After Reno County Commissioners last week discussed bids for the new secure entrance to the Reno County Courthouse and Law Enforcement Center, Reno County Sheriff Randy Henderson took exception to the notion that the county may scrap the idea of building the secure entrance completely.
He was not at the meeting last week and Tuesday morning said scrapping the whole idea was a grave mistake. The sheriff of course is responsible for security at the courthouse and talked about some incidents in the past that could have turned out badly.
He named six events in the past, including Roberto Rincon having two concealed handguns in his coat during a paternity case in Judge Tim Chambers courtroom.
He also told of another incident where a man showed up in a courtroom hoping to shoot a suspect in a criminal case, but the suspect only appeared via video from the jail and not in person. They later learned of that and were able to deal with it.
He also talked of when they have security on the third floor of the courthouse during trials and other hearings when he feels extra security is warranted. He says there is at least one judge who doesn’t like the extra security there, believing it could taint the jury in that case.
Commissioner Dan Deming showed concern that the legislature may expand gun laws even further, making it a waste for the county to spend the money for the entrance and also the cost of manning that entrance.
The county received four bids, all much higher than the architect’s estimate of $1,117, 885. The lowest bid came from Walz, Harman and Huffman of Hutchinson at $1,426,300. That’s over $308,000 more than the estimated cost.
It should be noted that voters in the county approved spending the money as part of building a new jail facility as well as remodeling the old county jail annex to house other county departments.
County Administrator Gary Meagher says he is having a conference call with Treanor Architects and the low bidder this Friday over why the cost is so much higher than the architect’s estimate.