After two months of suspended activity, Alaska Court System has worked out an arrangement with the City of Wrangell so that its staff can resume local legal services.
The courtroom and adjoining offices are housed on the second floor of the Public Safety Building, which houses Wrangell’s police and fire services, Department of Motor Vehicles and the emergency responder switchboard. Water seepage problems over the years have been a continued problem with the facility, and replacement of the building’s roof and siding has this year made it the top priority of the city’s list of capital projects.
After discovery of an ant infestation and extensive rot in one of the court office’s walls last September, its tenant officer was relocated elsewhere and the room sealed off by maintenance staff. A consultant inspected the building later that month, issuing a report with recommendations for the city to follow up on. It pointed out a number of problems with the building’s seals and materials, which had together allowed for a number of leaks to undermine the facility’s integrity.
A subcontractor had also been brought in to assess indoor air quality at the building, monitoring carbon dioxide and particulate levels through much of the building and taking moisture readings of interior materials. The firm concluded that conditions in the building were unsuitable for mold growth and that the facility’s air quality was several orders of magnitude below federal regulatory thresholds.
Despite those findings, ACS decided it wanted to have a third party examine courtroom offices’ air quality, contracting Wasilla-area inspection company Advance Look to take samples for mold in addition to visual and moisture intrusion inspections. Until the company could verify the building’s safety, as a precautionary measure, Wrangell’s courtroom and offices were closed during the week of Thanksgiving.
Wrangell Public Works director Amber Al-Haddad explained that inspection had taken place in December, with a report reaching both ACS and City Hall this month. The city had also contracted Advance Look to examine the rest of the Public Safety Building for air quality during its examination of the courtroom office area.
Al-Haddad reported the company’s results indicated nothing significantly different than what had been previously ascertained. Air quality particulates were within acceptable safety ranges, she said, with one exception.
“With the microbial air particulates there was one area that was of concern,” she said, referring to the court officer’s cordoned-off office. The exterior wall, which had been opened up by city staff last September, was still a source of concern until its materials could be fully replaced. She explained the company had some recommendations for containing the space and allowing the offices to reopen safely.
“We followed Advanced Look’s recommendations and concurred with the court to install HEPA filters in their space,” Al-Haddad said. Under a
half-dozen units were placed around the court area on Friday. “We’ll run them likely until we do the renovation project.”
ACS staff began resuming duties on January 18, and Judge Kevin Miller
arrived by plane Monday morning to undertake the week’s scheduled courtroom business. Two court officials employed at Wrangell’s office had
been placed on administrative leave during the office’s two-month closure. Though light, the court’s caseload had been picked up by the district court in Ketchikan.
“They did a fabulous job,” said Leanna Nash, a judicial officer with Wrangell’s court. The clerk in Ketchikan had been in contact with her each week during the two-month closure, keeping her abreast of ongoing court concerns.
Nash said the public’s patience during this time has been greatly appreciated, and the office will be getting caught back up to speed in the near future.
“It’s going to take a couple of weeks, probably,” she estimated. “We’re mostly filing right now, double-checking.”
Efforts to repair the roof and siding of Wrangell’s Public Safety Building remain in their planning stages. Al-Haddad explained the scope of the project will depend on the city’s success in securing Community Development Block Grant funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The full project is likely to cost $550,000, largely to be financed by the city. If the project is selected for the HUD grant, those funds could under the program’s guidelines only be used for part of the building relating to the Fire Department. The cost to repair those sections has been estimated at $294,000, with Wrangell needing to come up with at least $137,000 as a match. The remaining $255,000 needed to repair the building would have to be covered by the city separately.
For those selected for jury duty this year, Nash said summonses will be going out as soon as possible. No trials have so far been scheduled for February, with the soonest so far set for March 19. Potential jurors should expect to see directions in the mail well before that time, she said.
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