Carbon looks at bullet barriers

Carbon County may finally have a company to install bullet-resistant barriers at three of its district court offices.

Or they may not.

On Thursday, the county commissioners opened the sole bid for the installation project from Clear Security Ballistic Deterrent Systems of Roseland, New Jersey, which bid $32,870.

The only problem is there was no bid bond to accompany the bid.

Solicitor Daniel Miscavige said that the bid will need to be reviewed to see if it is valid because he didn’t remember if the county dropped the bid bond requirement.

The bid was tabled for one week to allow county officials to review it and see if it is valid.

This is the second time Carbon bid this project.

Last month, the county failed to secure any bids for the installation of bullet-resistant glass at District Judges Casimir Kosciolek’s, William Kissner’s and Eric Schrantz’s offices. District Judge Joseph Homanko’s office was not included because the office will be relocating into a new building in Weatherly.

Carbon County has been working to upgrade its security over the past few years, adding a security gate next to the courthouse, bullet-resistant material in the courthouse annex and metal detector upgrades in the courthouse, as well as the installation of a metal detector in the annex.

Last August, the commissioners approved a proposal with Ibis Tek of Butler for this project at a cost of $28,755, to be covered under an Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts grant, but in February, rescinded the approval after it was determined that the design the company submitted wasn’t feasible.