Washington County wants its tick tock ticking unanimous time on all four faces of the courthouse’s clock tower.

“It’s been a little embarrassing to refer to the clock in the tower for a meeting time, and be asked according to which side,” said County Auditor Dan Widmer.

As a result, the county has consulted with the processional clockers at Americlock of St. Louis, Missouri, to check out and reset the clock tower mechanisms.

“It could be done this year,” Widmer added.

Americlock has previously serviced the clock whose original works date to 1887 when the courthouse was built. The original works are still in place and, while a few years ago there was interest in possibly selling and removing them, “it was decided to leave them up there.”

However, at the time it was suggested that the works be put on display in the hall outside the courthouse offices on the first floor of the courthouse. Aside from the problem of removing the works from the highest point in the building (reached by wooden stairs), the hall space does not lend itself to a large display area.

The St. Louis firm previously repaired and serviced the current mechanisms and is “very familiar” with the clock in the tower. Estimated total cost for all work to align the four faces is approximately $6,200 to come from the building maintenance budget.

Americlock requests that half the cost be paid at the time the contract is signed.

No formal decision has yet been made for the “facelift.”