Monroe County Courthouse Receives $5 Million Bailout from West Virginia Government

September 1, 2022

Mountaineer News

3 Hours South of Buckhannon

UNION, WV - The non-functional courthouse in Monroe County received a $5 million bailout from the West Virginia government on Thursday to provide funding for renovations.

“In October of last year, I met with the Governor and told him we needed help to get some money here in the county,” Monroe County Commissioner Melvin Young said in a statement. “And there's a lot of people involved, but he told me one thing that day that's the truth. He said ‘we're gonna do our best to take care of you.’ And I sure do appreciate it from the County Commission and everybody involved.”

The courthouse has been closed for more than three years because water seeping into the building has caused mold and deterioration, which made it unsuitable for conducting official business. The courtroom, the judge’s chambers, the assessor’s office and the basement are all contaminated with mold and in need of renovations, according to the governor’s office.

Because the courthouse is non-functional, Monroe County has been using the Union Fire Department basement for court proceedings in recent years.

On Thursday, Gov. Jim Justice visited Union to provide the commissioner with the $5 million check.

“When Commissioner Melvin Young came to my office in October of last year, I promised him that I would do everything in my power to make this become a reality,” Justice said in a statement. “It took a lot of hard work by a lot of great West Virginians that all pulled the rope together. So today is a really special day for Monroe County and a day that I'll never forget.”

In addition to the renovations, the funding will be used to bring the courthouse into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, according to the governor’s office. The entire project will take about one year to complete.