By Kellen Olshefski
SLN Staff
The City of Elkhorn is in the process of repairing the elevator at City Hall.
The Finance and Judicial Committee approved repairs to the elevator at its Aug. 8 meeting because of the urgency of the matter. The full Common Council approved repairs Aug. 15.
At the Aug. 8 committee meeting, Public Works Manager Neal Kolb told committee members a sensor in the elevator had broken which stops the doors from closing when a beam is broken. With all original parts, many of which aren’t available anymore, Kolb said the company that made the elevator told him they would have to replace the sensor.
The cost to replace one sensor would have been $3,120, or $5, 526 for both.
With the elevator being about 30 years ago and the potential of the second sensor having to be replaced in the near future, the committee felt replacing both at this time would be the wisest idea.
“They’re both the same age and rather than having to come back a second time, which likely will occur, not knowing when, maybe it’s just wise to get current equipment installed now and be done with it,” City Administrator Sam Tapson said.
With the city needing to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the elevator having already been broken for two weeks, Tapson said at that meeting it was not something the city could afford to take its time to fix.
As for the state of the rest of the elevator, Kolb said looking through the inspection report from last year, there were no concerns. He said another inspection is coming up soon.
Alderman Tom Myrin said regardless of the city’s plans for the building in the future – whether the city refurbishes or sells it – it just makes sense to get the elevator fixed.
A motion to approve the repairs was passed by the committee unanimously.
