County to install programmable locks on courthouse

MARENGO — Iowa County will spend $11,095 to put new door locks on the courthouse.

The programmable door locks were supposed to have been part of the renovation of the courthouse, but the company responsible for the doors didn’t install the equipment, so the county has agreed to use BasePoint for the door lock system.

The County will receive a $6,000 refund for the work that wasn’t done. Maintenance Director Dylan Healey said this month. He thought he could find the other $5,000 from funds marked for the jail roof.

About 75% of the roof was under warranty, Healey told Supervisors Friday, Oct. 19, so the only work the county will have to pay for is caulking the cap.

The courthouse doors will be programmed to lock and unlock for regular office hours and can be programmed for additional times if needed.

The lock system can be controlled from Healey’s computer or phone.

Employees, sheriff’s deputies, the fire department and other people who might need access will be authorized to unlock the doors they need to enter, said Healey.

The system has an audit trail so Healey will know who unlocked what door and when, he said.

“We can expand this as big as we want.”

Healey said he trusts BasePoint Automations. “It is excellent,” he said. “I have the head person’s personal phone number.”

BasePoint Building Automations, of Hiawatha, will provide and install wireless handle sets, panic bars, gateways to talk to wireless locks and 50 cards, according to its bid.

The price does not include the workstation that controls the locks.