Washington courthouse portico entrance will close, DA, commissioners agree
Scaling steps to enter massive wooden doors under the Washington County Courthouse鈥檚 South Main Street portico will soon become a thing of the past.
When District Attorney Gene Vittone鈥檚 staff exits its current offices because of changes made to accommodate a seventh judge, an agreement he and the county commissioners worked out calls for the DA and staff to have security 鈥渢he same or greater than that already existing鈥� at the courthouse.
This would include a sheriff鈥檚 deputy, metal detector and an X-ray screening device for bags and purses in his new location.
Rather than hire additional manpower, Sheriff Samuel Romano was told he鈥檒l have to make due with enough staff to handle security at a single courthouse entrance plus the newly purchased Caldwell Building, 26 S. Main St., where the district attorney鈥檚 30-member staff is headed.
鈥淚t鈥檚 my understanding they鈥檙e going to shut the front door,鈥� Romano said of the courthouse.
A third deputy will handle security duties at the West Cherry Avenue entrance to the courthouse during its busiest periods, he said, and another deputy will be assigned to the Caldwell Building, which the county purchased earlier this month for $400,000.
Vittone, First Assistant District Attorney Dennis Paluso and Assistant District Attorney John Friedmann requested a court injunction to halt the move, which was scheduled for this weekend.
A negotiation session mediated Monday afternoon by President Judge Katherine B. Emery resulted in an agreement between the district attorney and commissioners formalizing aspects of the move and security measures, including a bulletproof main entrance.
Commission Chairman Larry Maggi said, 鈥淲e were trying to be as efficient with our resources and still protect our staff.鈥�
A security assessment of the courthouse recommended that access be reduced to a single entrance with an 鈥渁rmed presence,鈥� Vittone said.
The commission chairman said he and his board have 鈥減ushed back on that for several years.鈥�
No date has been set for the courthouse entrance closure. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a work in progress,鈥� Maggi said.
The county must first assure that the Caldwell Building complies with all applicable codes and certifications.
According to the agreement the litigants reached, the district attorney鈥檚 offices in Courthouse Square will move first, followed by Crime Victims Services and last, Vittone and his main office staff.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 anticipate moving this weekend,鈥� Vittone said.