HUTCHINSON, Kan., – The Reno County Commission Tuesday again took up items associated with the secure entrance for the courthouse including an agreement with VendTech of Wichita to provide two officers to work at the secure entrance once its complete. The commission approved the revised contract after Sheriff Randy Henderson again asked that they reconsider having a third person as part of that contract. The commission denied his request but did indicate that if it became an issue in the future, they could revisit it.

The contract calls for the two officers with the company be paid $23.90 per hour and if there is a need for additional hours, say during a special peak time, the cost would rise to $35.85 cents.

The commission also talked over the purchase of security cameras, a system storage for those cameras and a door access control system at a total cost of $126,773.

The issue with this is how many cameras would be needed. The plan is to have 95- cameras throughout the courthouse on every floor including inside the commission chambers. Some on the commission thought this was over-kill, but Sheriff Sgt. Troy Selby and Sheriff Randy Henderson argued for all of them indicating this is what they do at the new jail and also noting that cameras are already used by the Hutchinson Police Department in the Law Enforcement center.

$67,000 of that cost is already there as part of the bond issue for the building of the new jail and the rest could come from court fees according to Selby, so no new tax dollars would be used.

No decision was made on this item with Commissioner Brad Dillon wanting to talk with Police Chief Dick Heitschmidt over the issue.

The commission did approve the purchase for one 2017 ½ ton 4 by 4 crew cab long bed truck at a cost of $23,657 from Allen Samuels Auto Group in Hutchinson. This to replace one that was damaged earlier this year. With the insurance adjustment for the old vehicle, that knocks the price down by $11,193.00.