New Essex County courtroom has security issues

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February 7, 2012

Line-of-sight issues to yield renovations

LOHR McKINSTRY Press-Republican The Press Republican Tue Feb 07, 2012, 02:28 AM EST

ELIZABETHTOWN — Essex County lawmakers say modifications must be made to the new judge's bench in the main county courtroom to prevent witnesses from potentially assaulting the presiding jurist.

Recently completed courtroom renovations created a blind spot between the judge's bench, witness stand, jury box and court clerk's desk, Supervisor Roby Politi (R-North Elba) said Monday.

"The judges and the Office of Court Administration are not happy with the design of the bench and witness area."

A master carpenter will be hired to perform the corrective modifications, the board decided, at $30 an hour.

The State Office of Court Administration has set aside $21,000 to correct the courtroom work.

The original courthouse renovation project took two years and cost about $221,000, with change orders. The Office of Court Administration paid for the work.

Board of Supervisors Chair Randy Douglas (D-Jay) said potential safety issues now exist for the judge.

"If you sit in the judge's chair and the witness chair, there's a big, big safety concern," Douglas said.

He said Essex County Judge Richard Meyer invited supervisors over last week to show them the problem.

"We felt there were some safety issues, safety for Judge Meyer," Douglas said. "It has to do with sight of the clerk and witness stand. We felt this was the way to go, the cheapest way, the quickest way."

'A CLEAR MESS-UP'

It's important the modifications be completed as soon as possible, County Manager Daniel Palmer said.

"If we delay any longer, I'm afraid we're going to lose the $21,000 from the state. I can have somebody in there working next work."

Palmer said the master carpenter they are hiring worked for the courthouse project before as a subcontractor.

"He did exactly what was in the (architectural) drawing," Palmer said.

New drawings will be prepared for the modifications, the manager said.

"They're going to get a plan."

Supervisor William Ferebee (R-Keene) said he looked at the courtroom renovations and could immediately tell there was a problem.

"It's a clear mess-up," Ferebee said. "I don't know how it could go so far."

Palmer said the architect says the Office of Court Administration signed off on the design.

"They (Court Administration) say no, they didn't," he said. "It would take litigation to sort it out."

He said the new work should be finished by the end of March.