Augusta County Townhall Meeting On Courthouse Issue To Be Held At Government Center

Augusta County’s supervisors, looking to be as accessible as possible to the public, have announced an open house about the Courthouse issue to be held on Thursday, November 3, from 4-7:00pm, in the Smith Room of the Government Center in Verona.

Courthouse blueprints and plans will be available for observation, and supervisors will be on hand to answer questions about this very important issue that will be on the ballot on November 8.

The schedule for November 8 allows citizens to stop by as convenient, offering an opportunity for those who could not make it to the townhalls that were held around the county in September and early October. For those who are not able to attend, feel free to contact your supervisor with questions.

4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. One on One
5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Presentation
6:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Questions and Answers

Background:

Augusta County’s historic 1901 courthouse in downtown Staunton is no longer suitable for conducting business in today’s court system on a number of levels — safety, security, space limitations, no parking, no handicap parking, limited handicap access, court buildings separated by a main city street, dwindling storage, and other issues of concern. For more background, see YES, Move the Courthouse Part 1.

Parking: There is no parking at the current location (the closest parking is available a block away at the New Street parking garage for a charge). Ample free parking would be available at the new Courthouse. Space limitations make it impossible to add parking to the downtown location.

Handicapped Parking: There is no handicapped parking at the current location. At the new Courthouse, handicapped parking would be available and convenient.

Handicapped Access: In the old Courthouse, those who cannot climb stairs (the only courtrooms are on the second floor) must ride a chair-lift mounted on the stair rail, both humiliating and embarrassing, because there is no space to add an elevator to the building.

Find more information about other safety and security concerns in this PDF Presentation.

Augusta County is up against powerful lawyers, judges, businessmen, and a state delegate in Staunton who want the Courthouse to remain downtown, and who have two groups working with them along with voices outside the area who have mounted an effort to achieve that goal with printed “No” signs and pamphlets.

What you can do to learn more:                                   

• Visit the courthouse on Saturday, October 22, and Saturday, October 29, between 10am-2:00pm, for a tour of the two current courthouses, the Circuit Courthouse and District Courts Building which are located on opposite sides of the street, to see conditions of the facilities. If moved to Verona, all three courts and court functions would be located in one building.  Courts include Circuit, General District, and Juvenile Domestic Relations.  Court functions include Clerk’s Offices, Commonwealth Attorney, Victim Witness, Court Services Unit, Magistrate, and Court Security.
• PDF Presentation full of information.
• Contact your supervisor to ask questions.
• Visit the Augusta County website for information.

For more information, see:

• There’s More to the Courthouse Issue Than Many Realize
• Augusta County Courthouse Moving Forward, Staunton Counters
• Augusta Supervisors to Discuss Future Courthouse Options by Bob Stuart
• Rockbridge Redux? Courthouse Move the Right Way to Go by Tracy Pyles
• In advance of vote, Augusta County starts courthouse tours by Bob Stuart
• YES, Move the Courthouse Part 1:  Monday’s Town Hall Meeting
• YES, Move the Courthouse Part 2: Funding a New Courthouse
• YES, Move the Courthouse Part 3: Will Taxes Be Raised for New Courthouse