Core samples ordered for courthouse annex site

WELLSBURG -- The Brooke County Commission has accepted a bid from a Pittsburgh business to collect core samples from the future site of the county courthouse's judicial annex.

The commissioners, during their meeting Tuesday, accepted a bid of $9,633 from Intertek PSI for the job at the recommendation of McKinley Architecture and Engineering of Wheeling, which is designing the addition.

Plans call for the addition to be built in the open lot between the courthouse and the corner of Eighth and Charles streets and include courtrooms and offices for the circuit, magistrate and family courts.

Bids ranging from $9,460 to $15,216 were submitted by eight businesses for the collection of core samples.

Commission President A.J. Thomas said Intertek PSI, which submitted the second lowest bid, was chosen because the firm could start and complete the work earlier than the others. They are expected to start early next month.

Thomas said the core samples are required for the project and the commission doesn't anticipate any issues that would hinder the project.

He noted designs for the addition must be approved by the state Supreme Court, which sets standards for circuit and magistrate court facilities in the state.

The commission hopes to break ground for the addition later this year, with completion eyed for 2023.

The commission's volunteer building commission has been authorized to sell up to $9.9 million in private bonds for the project.

For several years the commissioners have considered expanding the courthouse to bring the county's first judicial circuit, magistrate and family court facilities under one roof.

They noted the move would include security upgrades for the courts and eliminate rent for a private building used to house the magistrate and family courts after the ground level of the courthouse was flooded in 2004.

In 2019, the two courts were permitted to return temporarily to the ground level.

The current commission and previous commissions purchased and razed two buildings and demolished the former county museum, which it owned, to create space for the addition south of the present building.

The museum moved to the former G.C. Murphy Store on Charles Street several years ago.

Also on Tuesday, the commission:

¯ Was asked its plans for about $4.2 million in federal pandemic relief funds awarded to the county.

Thomas said the commissioners will await direction from the U.S. Department of the Treasury in the proper use of the funds.

"The key here is to use it the right way," he said, noting that as recipients of C.A.R.E.S. Act funds, they were warned they could be required to repay any money not used for pandemic-related expenses.

¯ Heard from resident Anthony "Butch" Rotellini, who said dust from the truck parking lot near state Route 2 and Bruin Drive recently hindered visibility while a slick spot near it also presented a road hazard.

The commissioners said they would look into it.

¯ Said West Virginia's representatives to Congress have advised they contacted the Postmaster General about complaints of slow mail delivery. The commissioners said they heard from residents who reported delivery of their medications and other important items was delayed.

¯ Said they will consider eliminating the position of county surveyor as other counties, including Hancock, have done. The commissioners have been unsuccessful in filling the unsalaried position since former surveyor Mark Wiersbicki chose not to seek re-election to the office.