Westmoreland government offices reopen Monday

Most Westmoreland County government offices reopen to the public today.

Many restrictions enacted in late March to help control the coronavirus pandemic will be lifted to allow more government functions to operate as normal while still adhering to safety guidelines such as social distancing among staff and courthouse visitors.

“Our plan is to have our offices open,” Commissioner Sean Kertes said.

The county was one of many in Southwestern Pennsylvania on Friday to move to the green phase of the governor’s pandemic recovery plan. As a result, commissioners approved new policies for county workers as part of an effort to reduce the risk of a coronavirus outbreak in government facilities.

For three months, most county departments have operated with skeleton staffs and required appointments for the public to enter the courthouse.

The clerk of courts, prothonotary and treasurer’s offices will be fully open to the public. Court offices such as the register of wills and recorder of deeds will require appointments, as will the sheriff’s department gun permit office.

Playgrounds at county parks reopened Friday.

Common Pleas Court Judge Michele Bononi has re-instituted visitation for juvenile inmates at the Regional Youth Services Center and shelter facility for immediate family, caseworkers and therapists. Officials said visitors will continue to be barred from the Westmoreland County Prison and Westmoreland Manor, the county-owned nursing home.

County staff will continue checking temperatures of anyone entering the jail and nursing home. Temperature checks have stopped at the courthouse.

Updated details of each department’s policies will be posted on the county’s website. Meanwhile, commissioners said any courthouse employee who tests positive for the coronavirus will prompt the return of temperature checks and the immediate two-day closure of the office they work in to enable additional cleaning and contact tracing to prevent a potential outbreak.

Furloughed courthouse staffers will continue to be recalled over the next few weeks, commissioners said.

“We will wait until we see how many people are utilizing the courthouse to see how many employees we have to call back. It might be a month before everyone is called back,” Commissioner Gina Cerilli said.

Commissioners in early April furloughed 475 county workers. As of last week, 263 workers remained on furlough.