It’s winter. The Chester County Courthouse has no central heat. When will it be fixed?
Temperatures dropped into the 30s Monday, but he Chester County Courthouse has no heat.
The heating unit has not been operational since late 2019 and was not fixed before court resumed Monday for the first term of 2020, officials said.
Inside the jury assembly room and courtroom, temperatures Monday morning were in the 50s, officials said.
“I know it’s cold in there. I have been in there,” said Shane Stuart, Chester County Supervisor.
The culprit is the boiler for the historic building, Stuart said. A 2019 inspection found the boiler, decades old, was too old to be repaired, Stuart said.
A new boiler was ordered from California but was delayed in arriving because of the need for specific parts, Stuart said. The boiler is expected to arrive in Charlotte Monday, then be trucked to Chester Tuesday, Stuart said.
It remains unclear how long it will take for a contractor to install the boiler, Stuart said.
The court term lasts through this week in Chester. A jury panel was being seated for the 2020 grand jury and jurors will also be selected for this week’s criminal cases. Chester County typically has one week of court per month.
The new boiler cost around $30,000 and will be paid for from a combination of county contingency money, maintenance money, and money from the Chester County Clerk of Court office, officials said.
Employees of the clerk of court, solicitor, and public defender have had to make do with space heaters in offices since cold weather began in 2019, said Mike Lifsey, 6th Circuit Public Defender.
“I am proud of all the employees who have done their jobs through a difficult situation,:” Lifsey said. “it has been less than ideal, but people have done their jobs for the public.”
But the courtroom remains cold, Lifsey said.
Check back for updates.
