Washington commissioners approve contracts
The Washington County commissioners Thursday approved the bids for the four principal contractors to convert the old Washington County Jail to the Courthouse Annex. The bids total $4,152,000, with Waller Corp. hired as the general contractor, Scalise Industries Inc. awarded the contract for heating, ventilation and air conditioning, W.G. Tomko given the plumbing contract and Clista Electrical Inc. awarded the contract for the electrical work.
“These bids came in 24 percent below our estimates,” said Wayne Fleming of the Washington County Authority. “We hope to have a notice to proceed issued by the end of this month.”
The project is under the direction of the Washington County Authority. Fleming said the project will be on a tight schedule, with completion set for February 2004.
“We’re now on target on our original schedule,” according to Fleming.
Fleming said the old jail will be gutted and the interior replaced with 21,000 square feet of office space. The project will include the removal of lead-based paint and asbestos. “We’re going to keep the fa?ade the same because it’s an historic landmark, though the bars will be removed from the windows,” Fleming said.
A heated portico will connect the annex with the courthouse. The annex will house court-related offices such as the adult and juvenile probation offices and domestic relations. Some of those offices are located in the Courthouse Square building while the county rents space in commercial buildings for others.
“It’s going to free up the office space in (Courthouse Square),” Fleming said.
John Bevec, chairman of the county commissioners, said moving offices out of Courthouse Square to the Courthouse Annex will allow the county to move the coroner’s office back into the county office building.
In other matters, Burgettstown resident Harry Sabatasse suggested that the county save money by no longer funding the Veterans Affairs Office.
“I think since it’s not used by all taxpayers, the veterans should pick up the administrative costs,” Sabatasse said.
Sabatasse’s suggestion drew heated comments from several veterans who were attending the meeting, including George Eckerd of Monongahela. Eckerd served during World War II and the Korean War despite a visual disability.
“The heroes of that war didn’t get back here. They were 19 and 20 and got killed in the South Pacific. I think about those kids all the time. They didn’t have the privilege of grow older,” Eckerd said.
Charlie Keenan of Blaine Township noted that he and seven of his brothers all served in the military, including one brother who joined the U.S. Marine Corps when he was 17 and was killed a year later in Vietnam. His wife, Mary Jo Keen-an, said her father served in the Navy.
“The Veterans Hospital is for those who come back and need extra help and I’m glad my tax dollars go to support it,” Mary Jo Keenan said.
County Commissioner Diana Irey noted that one third of the county budget goes to Human Services for programs, such as Children and Youth Services, Mental Health/Mental Retardation and the Veterans Affairs Office.
“We provide many services that most of our taxpayers can never use and I count that as a blessing,” Irey said.