CLEARFIELD – The Clearfield County commissioners voted to approve the advertisement of bids for renovation work in the courthouse annex at its workshop meeting Tuesday.
Commissioner Chairperson Joan Robinson-McMillen said the county budgeted $250,000 for these renovations both last and this year. She said some offices were vacated in the courthouse annex when moved from there to the new county administrative building in October.
“And, we still need to do some shuffling around,” she said. Although neither the Clearfield County Conservation District nor the Penn State Cooperative Extension falls under its umbrella, she said the county has housed both at the Multi-Service Center.
According to her, both are still located at the Multi-Service Center with the district magistrate’s office. She said the commissioners wanted to have all tenants out of the Leonard Street facility by the end of the month. At the courthouse annex, Robinson-McMillen said the Conservation District will move into the first floor offices, which used to be the human resources room, part of the commissioners’ office and conference room.
She said that the Geography Information Systems (GIS) Department has already moved into its portion of the former commissioners’ offices while computer equipment needs adequate space to prevent overheating and allowing for more effective usage.
She said that the Victim/Witness Offices will relocate to the first floor, where the Election Office was formerly housed. The Election’s Office was among those that vacated the annex to move into the new administrative building.
On the second floor, Robinson-McMillen said the Public Defender’s Office has already moved into the old Controller’s Office, which, too, moved out of the annex. She also said the District Attorney’s Office would be “expanding and spreading out” into the Victim/Witness Offices.
Further, she said Clearfield County Judge Paul E. Cherry has requested for additional space, including a conference area, which will expand his office into the right portion of the former Public Defender’s Office. She described his current office as “cramped,” making it difficult for him to effectively meet with attorneys to review court paperwork.
She said that the Clearfield County Adult and Juvenile Probation Offices moved into a portion of the space, which was left vacant by the Public Defender’s Office.
“We kept the second floor court-related and all together,” Commissioner Mark B. McCracken said. “We are only displacing Victim/Witness to the downstairs.
“I think it’s a good idea anyways so that victims aren’t bumping into the defendants up there.”
Robinson-McMillen added that the commissioners have noticed the county offices are becoming “busier with people.” She said they want to better accommodate offices to ensure confidentiality.
The commissioners could open the renovation bids as early as its Jan. 25 regular meeting.