Crawford County Commission To Review EPM Report

The commission room at the Crawford County courthouse on Tuesday was feeling a little stuffy.

Presiding Commissioner Leo Sanders said it was set to 68 degrees, but the temperature was decidedly warmer.

It’s part of an ongoing issue at the courthouse where a temperature control system installed by EPM has failed to adequately cool or heat the building.

In March, commissioners heard from several county officials who shared their issues with EPM representatives Ben Trout and Jim Johnson.

Trout and Johnson promised to do a review and return a report back to the commission.

During the April 26 meeting, Treasurer Karen Sikes asked the commission where it stood.

Sanders told Sikes it was still a work in progress.

The presiding commissioner was asked Tuesday if EPM had completed it.

“They have,” Sanders said. “I have that report.”

Sanders said he would be sharing it in the next week or two.

The county purchased the system for $200,000 and paid for it through CARES Act funds. 

County Clerk John Martin ripped into EPM and said he didn’t care for the product.

“It doesn’t work as intended,” he said.

Martin said if the situation didn’t improve, he would have his office removed from the system altogether and have a new thermostat installed.

When county officials met with EPM, it was still late winter/early spring, so colder temperatures were the norm.

Sikes said when the system kicked on, it wouldn’t turn off.

“There’s no control,” Sikes said.

Circuit Court Clerk Karen Harlan complained that she wanted to be able to control the thermostat and requested permission.

Harlan told the Independent News she received access, but still couldn’t control the courtroom as needed.

She had Juergens Heating & Cooling install a programmable thermostat, which has corrected the situation and court personnel can control the temperature again.

Recorder of Deeds Kim Cook complained that her office, which contains records going back to 1832, has to be kept between 68 and 70 degrees.

However, during the winter she was running space heaters to keep the temperature manageable.

Robin Wilkerson, an employee in the prosecuting attorney’s office, said she would come in after the weekend to a 61 degree office.

After a full day of heating, the temperature would only rise to 64.