COURT PROCEEDINGS AT WASHINGTON CO. COURTHOUSE TO RESUME
Days after ordering that court proceedings at the Washington County Courthouse be suspended, local judges are lifting said suspension.
In email correspondence that included county officials and local attorneys, District Court Coordinator Marissa Daniels announced this (Thursday) afternoon that “the Judges of Washington County have said court proceedings will resume as normal for all courts at the Washington County Courthouse effective immediately.”
The suspension was ordered on Monday by District Judges Carson Campbell and John Winkelmann and County Court at Law Judge Eric Berg, who at the time cited “serious concerns” about the structural integrity and safety of the courthouse and requested an engineering report to determine if the courthouse was safe to occupy and hold court.
The responses received this week from the contractor, architect and engineering firm who are involved in the project to restore the courthouse exterior affirmed the county’s response to the judges that the construction is not impacting the building’s internal structural integrity.
The project architect, Architexas, wrote that the building’s substructure and superstructure “were found to be in good condition with no visible signs of distress or failure”, and that the courthouse “is presently safe for occupancy.” The structural engineer, TYLin, said the ongoing façade work “will not compromise the integrity of the base building.”
Additionally, the contractor, Phoenix I Restoration and Construction, addressed concerns about the noise stemming from construction activities. The company said after performing assessments at both the exterior and interior sides of the courthouse, the noise levels “are below the permissible noise exposures and require no administrative or engineering controls.”
The county has been exploring the possibility of holding court proceedings in an off-site location while construction at the courthouse is ongoing, with discussion centered on using the Commercial Exhibits/Country Creations building at the Washington County Expo once necessary security approvals are granted. However, an item on Tuesday’s commissioners court agenda calls for the possible designation of the Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace conference room at the Expo Annex, on the west side of the building, as an additional courtroom location.
County Judge John Durrenberger told KWHI this morning that the Country Creations building “is still under consideration once it meets necessary standards to be used as a courtroom”, adding that the district judges had requested the use of the conference room. Chief of Staff Carrie Marmol said due to the conference room’s smaller size, the intent would be to have the space as a backup in case it is needed.