Staff writer
Now that the county attorney and his staff are preparing to move to the former extension office in the Courthouse Annex, court services officials want the county attorney’s office space.
The probation office on the third floor of the courthouse is crowded.
Loyce Smith, court services officer for the 8th Judicial District, and probation officer Courtney Parker told county commissioners the move would allow probationers to speak confidentially with their officers.
Probationers also must wait their turn in the courthouse hallway before getting inside the present probation office, which was originally built for one probation officer. Now there are two.
Smith said the attorney’s office would include two offices and a waiting area.
“Smith doesn’t expect to have more than two officers in the Marion office.
All we really ask is to be considered for that space,” Smith said.
When the attorney’s office might become available remains in question.
Commissioners voted Nov. 28 to modify the annex building to add security and better separate the prosecutor’s office from the emergency medical services office, which will continue to be in the building.