Lynn Cameron remembers the day a chill raced down her spine.
Someone burst into the Allen County attorney’s office and exclaimed, “Someone’s going to die!”
He didn’t mean her, Cameron said the man continued, and wanted to talk to the county attorney.
While outbursts by visitors to the office — including physical threats — have been hyperbole so far, County Attorney Wade Bowie has no idea when someone accused of a crime, or upset about something with a criminal case, might lose control.
Many people come to the office calm when they get an opportunity to have their say with one of the attorneys, Cameron said, but she often is uneasy when having to confront a defendant, family or friend.
If there were a physical confrontation, there is no barrier to stop an attack. Between Bowie’s staff and the doorway is a simple counter and swinging door. Doors leading to his office and those of his assistant, Chris Phelan, and County Counselor Alan Weber always are open unless a conference is in session.
That will change soon.
Allen County commissioners agreed Tuesday to pay half the cost of security upgrades — pegged at $34,348 — to replace current counters with ones stout enough to support heavy, bullet-proof glass.
“When completed, it will look the same as what they have in the District Court,” said Weber, with bullet-proof glass weighing about 10 pounds per square foot. Supporting cabinets also will be capable of withstanding most anything a person could throw at it.
Office area immediately off the hallway will be reconfigured so that a single bullet-proof door will be the only way to the attorneys’ offices, or to the area where support staff, including Cameron, work. The door will have an electronic lock that can be triggered only from the secure part of the office.
Herb Ford, an Erie contractor, said he would complete the security upgrades during a weekend, to keep the project from interfering with office activities.
Commissioners also purchased a new backhoe from Sellers Tractor, Olathe. Sellers’ bid of $65,941, with trade-in, was the lowest of five.
COMMISSIONERS gave themselves and future commissioners responsibility to determine how to spend proceeds — interest and dividends — from a $100,000 endowment investment they made in the Allen County Community Foundation.
With the endowment money coming from fees that would have been placed in the Landfill Closure Fund, what it generates will be used for environmental purposes. Nothing specific has been decided, although Weber mentioned recycling as an avenue to explore.
Commissioner Gary McIntosh noted the county’s investment in the foundation’s endowment was made possible by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s agreement that the closure fund was financially secure.
The closure fund contains about $1 million.
“We have kept up with costs as we’ve closed one cell (of the landfill) and opened another,” McIntosh said. “The money is better off in the foundation’s endowment than just sitting in the bank.”
