Construction outside the Linn County Courthouse is fenced off. (Photo taken after hours on June 12.)
If you’re wondering about the construction in front of the Linn County Courthouse, it signals the beginning of the end of the long period in history when people could go in and out of the courthouse freely.
For years now, Linn County was the exception in Oregon courthouses. Elsewhere, including Portland and Corvallis, going to the courthouse meant emptying your pockets, handing your pocket knife to a guard or deputy, and walking through a metal detector. (And then asking for your knife back when you left.)
But not in Linn County. All four courthouse entrances — two in front on the north side, and one each on the south and west — have been freely accessible during regular business hours.
County Administrative Officer Darrin Lane told me the construction in front was “for creating an ADA compliant access to the entrance below the stairs in front.”
Roger Nyquist, chairman of the Linn County Board of Commissioners, elaborated via email when I asked him about the project and the cost:
“The main entrance will be on the first floor below the main steps at the north entrance. It is designed for security screening. Once the project is complete we will be looking for the state to fund the cost of staffing the screening area. The budget to do the project is 145k, and it is coming in at a bit less than that. Quite a bargain considering all of the other options were in the tens of millions of dollars.”
Some years ago, the county had hoped to build a courthouse addition on the east side. This would have answered the concerns of court employees about the lack of courthouse security barriers.
But the county’s application for state aid for the multimillion-dollar expansion was turned down, so that plan died.
With the current project, what will happen to the current main courthouse entrance at the top of the grand staircase?
“There will be no entry to the courthouse via the steps up to the second floor, which is regrettable for sure,” Nyquist said. “It is somewhat reminiscent of the stairs to nowhere recently built as one exits the gate area at PDX airport.”
So the other entrances will no longer be available?
“The current plan is yes, single entrance,” Nyquist said.
County crews are doing the construction, working with Udell Engineering of Lebanon.
As the longtime county clerk, the late Steve Druckenmiller strenuously opposed adding rigid security measures at the courthouse doors. He did not want citizens to face metal detectors when coming in to get a marriage license or register to vote.
Druckenmiller died in 2023, and last year the county moved the clerk’s office to the riverfront Wheelhouse Building. So that objection was gone, and the county commissioners, who had long been under pressure from the state courts to improve security, are going ahead to do just that. (hh)
Looking down from the courthouse steps, which will soon lead nowhere.
I’m sure UPS and the other delivery outfits will be thrilled.
Good.
The most danger stems from young 20 (even 30s) something males who have incomplete prefrontal cortex development and act impulsively.
Probably kill the basement Cafe, which will be a shame.
This should have been done years ago! Thank God nothing too bad has happened. People that are going through custody arrangements and miscellaneous are sometimes not stable mentally. When I was doing grand jury duty we had an incident where there was somebody that lost custody of their child and started throwing chairs and other things at court people we’ve got evacuated had to go two blocks down the road to be safe. There was also people that have brought weapons into court there’s all kinds of things that happen and this will be a safer solution.
Freedom by Freedom. It disappears. A little here,a little there. Just give in and comply. One day we will realize that it is too late for all of us. We use to have common sense, courtesy and respect among us. But they have taken that away. We’re all as innocent as our wallets are thick.
I absolutely agree with you. This is not a step in the right direction.
Agree. It was calming and peaceful to enter the courthouse via the grand staircase into the spacious and well lighted building. The people passing through and the employees seemed cheerful and happy see citizens enter.
When I was a kid, my Dad parked in the free parking around the courthouse while Mom took us to the dentist down on First Street, upstairs in The Flynn Block…Dr. Ficq’s office. The rest of downtown Albany had parking meters back in those days.
Stores like Montgomery Ward or Woolworth’s 5 and Dime must not have had public restrooms then, nor did dentist’s offices. So, when we got done with the dentist, we used the bathrooms that are still there at the top of the grand staircase leading to the north entrance of the Courthouse. Of course, those days are gone. And, unfortunately, it is not safe outside any longer. Almost every time I drive to Fred Meyer or St. Vinnie’s or wherever, I see some drugged-out male shouting obscenities as he stumbles along a sidewalk. The fabric of our society has crumbled.
You are absolutely correct
The courthouse has become the bathing area for thee homeless. They leave a terrible mess. It has to be monitored about every two hours for sanitation and safety f om needles and God knows what else.
I usually visit the courthouse a couple of times each year and have always been treated with courtesy in whatever department I have visited. I’ve been surprised at how long a person has been able to just walk into the courthouse without any screening and thought it was special. Oh well, times and people change.
As far as ADA compliant, there is an elevator in the first floor lobby. As far as security goes, it sounds like it is to keep the druggies out. That grand entrance has been used for everything from photos to protests to just sitting having lunch. stop taking our freedoms away.
I agree…so many memories from the front steps.
I’m disappointed with this decision…did they forget to ask the citizens of Linn County about this?
Here is my question: Have there been any incidents that would require security?
One just a few days ago, maybe weeks, but the police shut down downtown easily and spent hours just hanging out. So……
I hope you’re not suggesting that nothing is done until something bad happens.
Absolutely there has! Just while serving for grand jury duty 2023 there was 3 different incidences, just while serving a 6-8 wk time period.
I can see this from a security standpoint; however, security will likely be unarmed contractors, and they will not be able to stop an armed subject. What this will do as all other access points to the courthouse be closed; it will make all visitors to the courthouse including the elderly, handicapped and those with difficulty walking, to walk that much further to gain access. The grand front steps are now a mere decoration.
Speaking for myself, there’s no way I’m getting up those steps anyway. Likely ditto for many in the 3 groups you mention.
I can still get up those front steps at Linn County Courthouse. So, gotcha! Finally!
I’m pretty sure most comments in this blog come from people that visit the court house willingly? Those people need to realize majority of people in the court house are not there for a good reason! They might be there for custody, criminal,tax, or civil suits. Like I said before linn county is very lucky to not to have had some national headline on lack of security.