Harney County Court spent substantial time Dec. 3 discussing an informational proposal to the AOC/OJD courthouse capital‑improvement task force that would reconfigure the courthouse front entry to improve ADA access and court security.

Speaker 2 described the concept: add about 500 square feet to the front façade, shift public access to the front door, convert a rear entry to employee‑only access with card control, and replace or reconfigure the elevator to allow doors on two sides so the elevator can serve both the front entry and screened court area. "The proposal is to add to the front of the front door here and relocate ADA and all access public access through the front door," Speaker 2 said.

No engineered designs were available; cost estimates were described as preliminary. Speaker 2 listed an estimated total of $1,750,000, breaking that into roughly $200,000 for a new elevator and $100,000 for design, with demolition and ADA ramping also included. The speaker said screening equipment might be provided by the state marshal’s office but that staffing for screening remained an unresolved future decision.

Commissioners and staff discussed alternatives — small wheelchair lifts, cutting a new opening in the exterior wall to use the existing elevator shaft, and potential impacts to the courthouse exterior (removal of flanking pillars and steps). Speaker 4 asked for sketches; Speaker 2 said they would consult the county’s jail architect for rough courthouse plans and submit a revised request before the task force’s January 4 meeting.

The court treated the item as informational at this meeting; if Harney County is selected and awarded funds in the 2027 legislative session, construction would follow engineering and design phases and likely not begin until late 2027 or 2028.