JUVENILE COURT WON’T CLOSE

Officials ‘reassess’ plans to shutter Winsted Road facility

TORRINGTON >> The Torrington juvenile court will remain open for the time being, according to state officials. The judicial branch has changed plans, reversing its intention to close the facility at the end of the year in June.

“We have continued to review and reassess the budget situation and have concluded that, for the time being, we will keep the Torrington Juvenile Matters Court open with existing staff,” said Rhonda Stearley-Hebert, program manager of Communications with the Connecticut Judicial Branch.

The state previously announced plans to shutter the Torrington Juvenile Courthouse at the end of the year, citing a $77 million reduction in its budget for the 2016-17 fiscal year.

In order to react to this loss of resources, the state judicial branch instituted a hiring freeze in January, Stearley-Hebert said, reduced staff by 300 employees who were laid off or terminated, and is spending $30 million less than originally projected to “fund contracted programs to assist adult and juvenile offenders.”

The number of staff leaving voluntarily also exceeded initial projections, Stearley-Hebert said.

“We continue to look for ways to save resources and, with this proactive and disciplined approach, we are saving the money that we need to save, permitting us to keep the Torrington Juvenile Matters Court open with existing staff,” wrote Stearley-Hebert.

Once the Litchfield Judicial District Courthouse opens in Torrington, staff from Bantam Superior Court, Litchfield Superior Court, and Torrington Juvenile Court are expected to be relocated there, Stearley-Hebert said, in lieu of hiring additional staff.

At last word, the new Litchfield County courthouse, which is now under construction on Field Street, is projected to open in January 2017.

The State Bonding Commission approved an $800,000 grant-in-aid for storm drainage improvements around the courthouse in the fall.

Construction on the courthouse began in December 2015. The building is expected to be 183,000 square feet once completed, spanning three-and-four stories alternatively, and include an on-site two-story parking area.

A gallery of photos taken during the courthouse’s construction is available on the Register Citizen website.

BEN LAMBERT - THE REGISTER CITIZEN The Litchfield County courthouse currently under construction in Torrington, as seen Tuesday.