District justice to have own office again
WASHINGTON – The Washington County commissioners Thursday approved a lease that will allow District Justice William Pelkey to once again hold court in his own district. Pelkey was forced out of his Wood Street office at the end of January, when a leaking roof soaked the telephone system and sent part of the drop ceiling crashing to the floor.
The office was temporarily moved to the California Borough Building, but the staff couldn’t access the state computer system from the borough building. Pelkey’s staff then moved in with District Justice Larry Hopkins of Charleroi, with the two magistrates sharing courtroom space and alternating hours.
Early in February, the commissioners advertised for office space for Pelkey within his jurisdiction.
“We had several proposals that came in, and some of them required extensive renovations,” said Nancy Bielawski of the Washington County Purchasing Office.
John Bevec, chairman of the county commissioners, said both California Borough and Centerville Borough wanted the district justice’s office located in their communities, but the bottom line was that the former Centerville Borough Building site met the judicial needs with the least renovation.
“It was in line financially with the other leases, so we approved it,” Bevec said.
The county will pay $1,500 a month for the 1,920-square-foot site located along Route 40 in Centerville. The rent includes all utilities and custodial services.
“We expect to be in there within 30 days,” Bielawski said.
Bielawski said one other site needed only minor renovations, but the party submitting the building for consideration did not yet own the structure.
Bielawski said the new office is closer to the center of Pelkey’s district, which includes California, Centerville, West Brownsville, Deemston, Coal Center and Beallsville boroughs and East Bethlehem and West Pike Run townships.
“There’s a lot of parking there. I think it has three restrooms and it’s already handicapped accessible,” Bielawski said.
Bielawski said the county has submitted a request to the state to move the computer system to the Centerville office by April 21.
“They usually say it takes four to six weeks, but they understand the circumstances here, so maybe we can get it done more quickly,” Bielawski said.