Leave courthouse evaluation to the pros
We appreciate Greene County Judge Farley Toothman’s concern over what he believes are safety issues at the county courthouse, but we suggest the jurist focus on the cases before him and leave the matters of the building to the commissioners and their architect.
Earlier this month, Toothman asked Waynesburg Borough to have K2 Engineering inspect the courthouse to ensure it complies with Department of Labor and Industry standards in light of changes made to the building the last few years. K2 administers the uniform construction code for the borough and would determine compliance with those standards. Toothman said he remembers the difficulties the county had in receiving state approval for the building when the addition was completed in 1998, when he was a county commissioner.
We know the county is judicious when it comes to ensuring the building is safe for employees and the general public. For example, the county early last year spent more than $750,000 to repair timbers that started to separate at joints between the ceiling and roof in the building’s old section, specifically above the ceiling of Courtroom No. 1. As part of the project, the county also updated the sprinkler and the heating and air conditioning systems.
And, either during the restoration project or near its conclusion, it was discovered the statue of Nathanael Greene that sits atop the courthouse was deteriorating, so much so there’s a chance a strong wind gust could propel the statue off the roof and onto the ground.
When Count Chief Clerk Jeffrey Marshall received a copy of Toothman’s letter, he responded by saying the county believes the building is safe and in compliance with all building codes.
We believe the county has a solid grasp on safety and integrity of the courthouse, and some of Toothman’s concerns are, to use judicial parlance, without merit.
Consider the implementation of the security measures in the courthouse. The security station in the front entrance of the courthouse, according to Toothman, blocks one of the two curved stairways in the front of the building to Courtroom No. 1. But the equipment the county has at the main entrance is portable, Greene County Commission Chairman Chuck Morris said, “so if an emergency arose it can be easily pushed away for access to that side of the spiral stairway.”
The equipment doesn’t block the stairway; however, a plastic police tape at the top prevents people from using it. Anyone who would walk down the steps would end up behind the security station. Marshall said he believes the matter can be easily addressed by removing the tape and putting up a sign that states, “For Emergency Use Only.”
The courthouse was inspected last month by Cocciardi and Associates Inc., a safety and emergency preparedness consultant, for the county’s workers’ compensation coverage. The inspection was conducted in accordance with standards established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, National Fire Protection Association and other regulatory agencies, the company’s report said. Only two minor tripping hazards were noted, one in the boiler room of the courthouse where a garden hose was on the floor.
Lastly, Toothman said since work was completed to repair the ceiling in the main courtroom, he believes the building’s masonry foundation has begun to show signs of weight stress, water or fatigue cracks and sinking.
Her prefaced that statement by saying it was “his unprofessional review.”
We suggest he leave such assessments to a “professional review.”