Ozark County Courthouse elevator becoming obsolete, commissioners learn


The elevator in the Ozark County Courthouse is starting to show its age. Installed in the 1990s, officials say parts for the elevator are impossible to find. Inspectors recently noted the elevator was in good and operable shape, but also stated that if electronic problems with the elevator were to arise, the elevator probably could not be fixed. Times photo/Bruce Roberts.

The Ozark County Commissioners met Monday morning and heard, among other things, a report that the courthouse elevator is becoming obsolete and that if something serious was to go wrong with it, there are no parts to repair it any longer.

County Clerk Brian Wise told commissioners John Turner, Gary Collins and Layne Nance that Kone Elevator and Escalator, of Springfield, performed a routine inspection of the elevator, and officials told Wise that, while the elevator is in good operational condition now, it’s only a matter of time before the elevator may need repairs, and that parts for the elevator cannot be obtained.

“So basically they told me that the carriage is in good shape, and the cables and everything is good,” Wise said. “It passed inspection, but they told me that the electronics and the guts of the system are obsolete … even the buttons.”

Wise said he wasn’t sure what it would cost to install a new elevator or what the county would do if the elevator were to malfunction. 

The elevator, built in the early 1990s, services all three floors of the courthouse and makes it ADA-compliant. A wheelchair ramp on the west side of the first floor of the courthouse is too steep to meet ADA guidelines, officials said.

Commissioners made note of the elevator inspection report.

In other business on Monday, commissioners voted to advertise for bids for road grader blade cutting edges.

The blades are purchased in bundles of 10. Last year the county paid $98 per bundle. The current price is around $112 per bundle, and suppliers have notified commissioners that prices will be going up at the end of December.

“They told me we should probably be getting bids and buying before the end of the year,” Nance said. Commissioners voted to advertise for bids and open bids on Nov. 14.

Nance said the county usually buys 20 bundles (200 blades per year). He said in good conditions and with a good operator, a cutting edge would last up to a month. “But when we’re pushing snow or during dry conditions, one may only last a day or maybe two,” Nance said. “When it’s dry like that and you’re going through blades that fast, it’s probably better off if you just shut it down,” Nance added.

Commissioners said they expect several bidders.

Wise also reported that the voting process for the Nov. 8 General Election is moving along well.

“It’s probably going to get ugly,” Wise said. He said he sort of expects “election deniers” from both sides. “This is going to be a contentious election nationwide,” Wise said. “We’re going to do our job as always, but there’s going to be people that are not happy on both sides.”

Ozark County Times

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