CLEARFIELD – Renovations are “mostly finished” at the courthouse annex and were completed for approximately one-third of the amount budgeted, the Clearfield County Commissioners announced at their workshop meeting Tuesday.
The commissioners had the renovations completed after county offices were relocated from the courthouse with the opening of the Administrative Office Building downtown along East Locust Street last fall.
The renovations will not only be providing additional office space for some county departments, but also increasing the confidentiality and security of the jobs carried out by them, Commissioner Chairperson Joan Robinson-McMillen said.
According to her, the Victim Witness Office relocated downstairs to the former Election’s Office. The Election’s Office had moved from the courthouse annex into the new administrative office building.
She said the Victim Witness Office was cramped in two smaller rooms upstairs by the District Attorney’s Office. However, its current location is “more open” and allowed the addition of a security room for consultation with victims.
The District Attorney’s Office will expand out into the space formerly housed by the Victim Witness Office. New flooring still needs installed, but it couldn’t be done until after the Victim Witness Office moved downstairs.
Clearfield County Judge Paul E. Cherry’s office was expanded into the right portion of the former Public Defender’s Office for him to have more adequate space to meet with attorneys. The adult and juvenile probation offices moved into the remaining portion of space vacated by the Public Defender’s office.
A wall has been constructed between Cherry’s newly expanded office and that of adult and juvenile probation, Robinson-McMillen said. The IT Department expanded and picked up another office and an employee lunchroom was finished in the basement.
A basement door was also installed and will be kept locked at all times to protect files stored there. The basement never had a door and could previously be accessed via the elevator.
Robinson-McMillen said the commissioners didn’t have any finalized figures but estimated the costs came in under $100,000. The board had approximately $300,000 set aside for the renovations.