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Lawrence Co. to close courthouse weeks of Thanksgiving, Christmas
Employees will lose some paid holidays during the shutdowns.
NEW CASTLE, Pa. — Lawrence County commissioners unanimously voted to close the courthouse during the upcoming Thanksgiving and Christmas weeks.
They said Friday the cuts are needed to save the county from running out of money by year’s end.
Commissioners blamed their situation on state legislative inaction on the 2009-10 budget, which has shut off the normal flow of state funds to the county since July 1. This has forced the county to dip into its own money to cover personnel and program costs usually covered by the state, and they say the general fund cannot cover the costs for the rest of this year.
In addition to the holiday shutdowns, commissioners announced they are imposing a 3-percent wage rollback for nonunion employees of the E-911 Center and the coroner’s office. They have also asked Laborer’s Union Local 964, which represents jail employees, to vote on the wage rollback, and the union has set a vote for Wednesday.
Commissioners want the rollbacks in the three departments because they said they are essential and cannot be included in the shutdown.
Because of the shutdown, officials said employees will lose their paid holidays that fall during the shutdowns, which take place from Nov. 23 to 27 and from Dec. 21 to 25. These include Thanksgiving Day and the day after as well as Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Employees will receive paid holidays Dec. 28 and Jan. 1, however.
Karen King, the county human resource director, said the laid-off employees will qualify for unemployment compensation and said her office has the information to assist employees in filing.
Commissioner Steve Craig, panel chairman, said courts will be available for emergencies, such as issuance of protection-from-abuse orders, but any hearings will be scheduled in the Central Court Building across the street from the courthouse.
The reason, he said, is that the county can realize $5,000 to $10,000 in energy savings from having the courthouse in “hibernation” for the two weeks.
Craig said that Helen Morgan, prothonotary and clerk of courts, and Janet Kalajainen, county recorder and register of wills, have agreed to keep their offices open as long as necessary Nov. 30 to take care of all filings related to the federal government’s first-time homebuyer program. The program ends Nov. 30
Craig said real-estate offices and banks expressed concern that the Thanksgiving shutdown comes during a time when federal tax credits are available for first-time home buyers and were concerned mortgages and deeds could not be recorded in time to qualify.
Craig said since the courthouse will be open that day, the two row officers have agreed to stay until all those wanting to file deeds have done so.