Westmoreland County to limit courthouse business, close senior centers

A partial shutdown of the Westmoreland County Courthouse operations will start Wednesday, commissioners have ordered.

Beginning mid-week only “essential” personnel will report to work to maintain government operations, Commissioners Chairman Sean Kertes said.

“We don’t want people coming to the courthouse,” he said.

The scaling back was delayed to accommodate Tuesday’s special election. Kertes said the county’s full roster of workers will be needed for the election.

Starting Wednesday, each department head and elected official will determine which staffers are needed to oversee their department’s core functions. The scaled-back government operation will run through at least March 30, Kertes said.

Officials estimated that only a small fraction of the courthouse staff will report to work, including the three commissioners and their chiefs of staff.

Guards at the county jail and juvenile detention center as well as nurses and other staff at Westmoreland Manor, the county-owned nursing home, will continue to report for work.

Employees required to work will be paid overtime wages. Non-essential staffers will be paid regular salaries while on leave.

Human Resources director Amanda Bernard said about half of the 1,823 employees on the county payroll will be off the job. Employees will be notified Tuesday if they are to report for work during the partial shutdown.

County commissioners said the courthouse will be open to the public, but visitors must declare a valid reason to enter. The public will be permitted to seek marriage licenses, death certificates and report for court appearances. Courts will continue to operate with reduced schedule. All jury trials were postponed until April.

“We will basically have a skeleton crew at the courthouse,” Kertes said.

Officials ordered the county’s senior citizen centers to close Wednesday and remain shuttered through March 31. Drive-up meals will be available to seniors at the centers and limited home delivery will continue.

Commissioners, who over the weekend declared a state of emergency in the county, met behind closed doors at 9 a.m. Monday and called all county elected officials for a later meeting. The planning comes as the county awaits its first confirmed case of coronavirus.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control issued new guidelines late Sunday that called for the restriction against gatherings of more than 50 people.

Gov. Tom Wolf on Monday requested that all nonessential businesses across the state close for at least two weeks.

Westmoreland Commissioner Gina Cerilli said county officials don’t have the authority to order similar closures but could recommend that course of action to the public.

“We’re continuing to work with the municipalities and our first responders,” said Public Safety Director Roland Mertz.

Officials said county parks will remain open, but all pavilion rentals through April 6 have been canceled, according to Public Works Director Greg McCloskey.

The March for Parks event scheduled for this weekend was canceled.

Sheriff James Albert called off a remote gun licensing event set for today in North Huntingdon and other remote licensing sessions will be postponed through this week.

Starting Tuesday, the prothonotary’s office will suspend processing passport applications.

County Chamber of Commerce President Chad Amond said his organization canceled all large meetings and events for the next several weeks.