BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Years of discussions about a single-entry point for the Brown County Courthouse have produced little action, but the conversation is restarting as a result of increased gun violence across the country, including the recent deadly incident at the Oneida Casino Complex.
A long-term security solution has been the focus of the talks, but now, temporary solutions are being looked at to bring increased safety sooner.
“I would suggest that you buy the screening equipment and put it in one of the hallways right now and then work on the other solutions because it could take 5,6, 7 years,” said Hon. Tom Walsh, a Brown County Circuit Court Judge.
“Structurally there is problems with just trying to put up the equipment in the middle of a hallway,” said Sheriff Todd Delain of the Brown County Sheriff’s Department. “There is going to be some issues with size, fire access, entrances, exits. As soon as you put in screening, it’ll almost assuredly result in people having to be outside.”
Nearly two years ago, a $1.9 million addition to the north side of the courthouse was talked about, but the plan never went anywhere.
During COVID, the north entrance has been the only open entrance.
“It’s not handicap accessible for parking and I think it really has illustrated to us that is a really complicated place to have a single-point entry,” said Hon. Tammy Jo Hock, a Brown County Circuit Court Judge.
That side of the courthouse remains an option, but the discussion has broadened out to include the possibility of tearing down the downtown jail on the west side of the courthouse.
“We talk about repurposing the downtown jail, I don’t see it,” said Paul Fontecchio, the Brown County Public Works Director. “I’m a civil engineer. I actually have an emphasis in structural engineering, and I look at it, I don’t think it’s repurposable. I think it’s tear downable.”
Tearing it down creates an issue for the 116 inmates currently housed there. The county just built a new jail pod at a cost of about $12 million. Another would be needed if the downtown jail is taken down.
“The sooner that a decision is reached and a schedule and a budget are put together, the sooner we get to where we’re going to be,” said Fontecchio.
County supervisors agreed to look at both short and long-term solutions for the area. However, a timeline for making a decision was not put in place.
The supervisors also voted to keep the north entrance as the only open entrance to the courthouse until a long-term decision is reached.
Judge Walsh tells FOX 11 out of the state’s 12 most populous counties, Brown is the only one that doesn’t have screening to enter its courthouse.
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