By RANDY BARTLEY
Staff writer
Clarion County’s buildings may be closed to the public but work is continuing inside those buildings. The Clarion County Board of Commissioners April 7 took up the long list of projects planned for this year.
“The virus is going to be here for a while and we need to start planning on what projects we want to begin at the end of April,” said commissioner Ted Tharan. “We have an opportunity to get some of these things done while the buildings are closed”
Tharan said Clarion County Judge of Common Pleas Sara Seidle-Patton wants some improvements made to the main courtroom in the Clarion County Courthouse.
“The judge wants new benches for the courtroom and improvements to the sound system in the main courtroom,” said Tharan, adding improving the sound system could include wireless microphones and additional speakers.
The wooden benches squeak loudly and often drown out the court proceedings. All three of the candidates in the last judicial election made the improvements to the courtroom a priority.
A quote is being obtained for enhancing the sound system in the main courtroom.
The commissioners agreed that the work on the planning office at the courthouse should be finished.
Tharan said the county’s maintenance crew is waiting for material to arrive before they can finish the front of the new district attorney’s office.
One project that will not be completed in 2020 will be the new playground at the Clarion County Park in Paint Township.
“We will probably not complete that until 2021,” said Tharan.
The commissioners also addressed efforts being made by the county to help stem the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The county has ordered new facemasks for employees.
“We just purchased cloth masks from Brookville Glove to replace the masks we had borrowed from CYS,” said Tharan. “The prison has received their order of 200 and our order will be ready in a few days.”
Tharan said the county has also ordered Plexiglas screens for all counters in county offices. Several of the shields have already been installed.
The county is also looking forward to the end of the epidemic.
“We are tracking all of the expenses related to the virus so we can get reimbursed by PEMA (Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency),” Tharan noted.
Commissioner Wayne Brosius said there are no additional furloughs of county employees planned at this time. The county has furloughed 21 employees. It is not known when those employees will be recalled.