For the second time, the Leelanau County Board of Commissioners has rejected a proposal to provide additional security at the new Government Center in Suttons Bay Township despite concerns raised by county employees and court officials.

County offices began moving into the main level of the new $10.6 million, 68,173-square-foot facility late last week. Court officials are slated to begin moving into the top level of the three-level facility on Feb. 22.

The top, courtroom level includes a state-of-the-art entrance screening station complete with a computerized security monitoring system – but with no one designated to staff the station.

Leelanau County undersheriff Scott Wooters appeared before the county Board of Commissioners at its executive committee meeting Wednesday morning with a proposal from Sheriff Mike Oltersdorf that a new part-time, uniformed deputy sheriff position be created solely for courthouse security.

Wooters said the sheriff had envisioned the new 24-hour-per week position would cost taxpayers around $30,000 per year. Wooters added that a Public Safety Committee consisting of representatives from the various court offices and the county Prosecutor’s Office had recommended that the new position be created.

In July 2007, as a part of early budget discussions for fiscal 2008, the county board considered a more extensive proposal to provide security at the new courthouse facility. At the time, county administrator David Gill told commissioners that it would cost approximately $120,000 yearly for two people providing additional security eight hours per day, five days per week at the new facility.

The county board in July 2007 voted specifically to “not man the security area at the new Government Center for budgetary purposes.”

County board chairman and District No.6 commissioner Robert Hawley said he viewed this week’s more modest proposal for security at the courthouse as “the camel’s nose under the flap of the tent,” meaning it was likely that even more security would be asked for in the future.

A Sheriff’s Deputy serving as a bailiff in one of the courtrooms is currently on duty about 15 hours per week, Wooters said. The bailiff’s job is primarily to provide security for the judge and guard any prisoners brought before the court.

County officials have pointed out that the new Government Center is literally a stone’s throw away from the new Law Enforcement Center, and that deputies could respond very quickly in an emergency. In addition, deputies have been routinely dispatched to provide extra security at the courthouse during high profile cases or when the possibility of trouble was anticipated.

District No. 5 commissioner David “Chauncey” Shiflett said he believed the recent proposal to add a security position for the courthouse may have been prompted by some recent, highly publicized incidents at courthouses elsewhere.

District No. 2 commissioner Mark Walter said that a Community Corrections officer who was increased from part-time to full-time status last year could be used to provide security at the courthouse on an as needed basis. He also pointed out that the Sheriff’s Department is already overstaffed by one deputy.

Walter has announced his candidacy for sheriff.

None of the commissioner offered a motion to give any further consideration to the sheriff’s proposal to add a part-time deputy for courthouse security – and so the proposal died.