The bell tower on top of the Franklin County Courthouse on Main Street will be closed until it is cleaned and measures are taken to stop critters from getting inside.

County Administrator Amy Bernard updated commissioners about the situation on Tuesday.

Birds, bats, squirrels, mice and other pests are getting inside the tower, she said. Louvers on the outside and chicken wire inside are meant to keep animals from getting in, but are not effective.

Some of the animals cannot get out and make their way into part of the attic where they die, Bernard said.

There will be no access granted to the attic until further notice, she said.

The issue has been going on for over a decade but Bernard said she only recently learned there are remains of the animals up there, mostly birds.

She contacted a pest control service and representatives said they could do something to prevent the critters from accessing the area.

Bernard said she is following the rules set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Bureau of Labor Standards.

Meanwhile, the clock outside the tower will not be wound weekly by staff until the cleanup is done, she said.

The bell rings when the clock strikes on the hour.

The courthouse was built in 1885 and an addition built in 1917. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

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