Local News

Jail Renovation

Planning underway to house second judge

ELKINS -- The Randolph County Commission has plans in place to restore part of the former Randolph County Jail, located on High Street.

The historic structure, which was constructed in 1909, has been out of use since the last inmates were transported to the Tygart Valley Regional Jail in 2005.

Now, with new space needed for several county offices and personnel, including a second circuit judge in 2025, Commission President David Kesling said it was time to get the ball rolling in revamping the former jail.

"We are going to meet with an engineer next Friday for design plans and then we will hopefully get it out to bid," Kesling told The Inter-Mountain Friday during a tour of the facility. "We are only going to do half of the building at this time, the front part that used to be used for civilian use back in the day."

The Randolph County Jail is split into two sections, a civilian side where the officers and other personnel used to work, and a jail side where inmates were once housed.

"We are going to remodel the first and second floor as well as the basement on that side," said Kesling. "The third floor will be used for storage and there is some roof damage in the attic we have to address."

Kesling said the restoration is part of the process for finding space for a second circuit judge who will be elected next year and begin serving in 2025. In March, House Bill 3332 created new judicial circuits for the state and assigned the number of judges each circuit would have.

Under the new law, beginning in January 2025, Randolph County will constitute the 24th Judicial Circuit. The second judge will be elected in 2024 and every eighth year thereafter.

"Going forward we are going to need a spot for the second judge," said Kesling. "With Michael Parker leaving the second floor of the Cain Annex and moving to the new prosecuting attorney office (in the former Smith & Jory law office across the street from the courthouse), that is going to leave those offices in that building vacant. So what I thought we'd do is remodel that area and turn it into offices for the new judge."

Kesling said if current judge David H. Wilmoth and the new judge are unable to space out court dates in the existing courtroom, a plan is in place for a second courtroom as well.

"We can use the County Commission meeting room as a courtroom," said Kesling. "We only use it the first and third Thursday of the month and it is set up where it could easily be a courtroom. And if the county commissioners move to the old jail, which is our plan, the office that we currently use can be a jury room."

Kesling said the work in the Cain Annex will be done by the county's current maintenance staff.

"They did a great job on remodeling and redoing the prosecuting attorney's new building," said Kesling. "So they will be in charge of getting the new offices ready for the new judge and staff members."

Plans for the old jail include an administrative assistant office, waiting room, court security office, and an office for the county's grant writer on the first floor, Kesling said. The second floor of the jail will house two rooms that will be offices for county commissioners.

"We want to move the court security officers out of the basement of the courthouse and give them a nice, big court security room," Kesling said. "The second floor only has enough room for two offices and a bathroom, so we will put two county commissioners in one room and one in the other. Our goal is to get this project done next year, because in 2025 the new judge will take office."

Kesling said funding from the project will come from grants and coal reallocation money.

"I want to do this project without it costing the county's taxpayers any money," Kesling said. "I want to try to be fiscally conservative on it and use grant money for it. Because it's a historic building, we can also get some grant money from that.

"The jail is a historical landmark and instead of it sitting there and continuing to deteriorate, it's important to us to restore it and bring it back to life."