Judicial center security the focus of commission meeting
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WELLSBURG -- The Brooke County Commission Tuesday accepted a bid for a security measure for the judicial center under construction beside the existing county courthouse.
The bid was in the amount of about $19,461 for a panic button system by which staff may immediately alert the county's 911 center in the event an emergency should occur in the building.
It included multiple panic buttons, related equipment and a monitoring service provided by Advanced Alarms Technologies of Parkersburg, the vendor.
County Commissioner Tom Diserio said it's not been determined if the state Supreme Court will contribute to the security measure's cost.
Because the local magistrate and family courts fall under the state court's umbrellas, it's funding some of their expenses at the new building, including furniture.
The 33,000-square-foot, three-story judicial center will house courtrooms and offices for the two courts and the 1st Judicial Circuit Court as well as the county probation department and the county prosecutor's office.
It's being funded through the sale of $12.8 million in bonds.
Asked about security guards for the new building, Diserio said the commissioners and sheriff's department haven't worked out all of the details, but plans call for both it and the existing courthouse to be manned by guards as was the case when the magistrate and family courts were in separate facilities in the former Progressive Bank building.
The existing courthouse also is home to the 911 center, which is being moved into larger space formerly occupied by the circuit court judge's chambers; sheriff's department and other departments not related to the courts.
Asked about the judicial center's expected completion date, Diserio said while construction is proceeding, there have been some delays.
"The contractor is working with a vendor on some supply shortages," he said.
In other business, the commission agreed to accept letters of interest in two vacant seats on the county museum board for the next two weeks. Letters of interest in the volunteer board should be sent to the office of County Clerk Kimberly Barbetta at the county courthouse.
(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldstaronline.com.)