Sheriff updates county on courthouse security and jail projects

More security measures will soon be added to some offices on the 3rd floor of the Lake County Courthouse in Madison.  Lake County Sheriff Tim Walburg asked Lake County Commissioners Tuesday for approval and matching funds for a grant the county has received for the project from the state’s Unified Judicial System.  Walburg told commissioners that he and Buildings and Grounds Superintendent Dave Hare worked with Circuit Judge Pat Pardy on what the security measures will include. 

Walburg said the project will also include cameras outside these doors in order to see who is there if the person does not have a passcode.  He said the county is approved for close to 23-thousand dollars in a grant for the project, with the total project costing more than 30-thousand dollars.  

Dave Hare told commissioners that they didn’t budget for the matching funds for the project for this year because they weren’t sure if they were going to get the grant.  

Commissioners on Tuesday authorized Walburg and Hare to move forward with the project, with Auditor Bobbi Janke determining where the money for the matching funds will come from within the county’s budget. 

Walburg on Tuesday also reported to the commission on recent renovations made to the county jail facility.   

Walburg said that with the change in how visitation is done at the jail, they were then able to remodel the area where it used to take place.

Walburg said they will also have a video I-TV that will be connected to one within the courthouse that can be used for bond or other court hearings.