While the 168-year-old St. Clair Courthouse in Ashville undergoes its 18-month, historic renovation, local government offices have been keeping up day-to-day duties at temporary offices and courtrooms set up in buildings around the courthouse square.

Though the environment has changed, work has stayed the same for clerks, record keepers, judges and attorneys that frequent the halls of government in northern St. Clair County.

The county’s property manager, Harold Hoyle, said that while he was charged with orchestrating a great deal of the transition, that the real credit goes to the courthouse employees who managed to keep their workspaces functioning while the courthouse was moved to offices surrounding the courthouse square.

“I think the entire credit for the smooth transition belongs to the employees over here,” Hoyle said while touring the temporary properties. “I think the employees took ownership of their particular spaces and made it easily. I provided the labor and they provided direction. Everything went unbelievably well.”

Everything from legal documents, archived books, a law library, copy machines and even judicial benches were moved to offices in buildings surrounding the square.

Modifications that included adding a wall, a hallway and judge’s chambers as well as additional restrooms were added to the Butternut building to make way for the move.

The Court Clerk’s office along with a judicial bench and courtroom seating was moved to the Butternut Antique building. Both court workers and judges say that residents in the north end of the county have taken the temporary move in stride and are getting used to the appearance of the temporary courtroom.

“We’re fully functional here, even though these are temporary digs,” Hoyle said.

The district attorney’s office and juvenile probation office were moved to a building at the southern end of the square that was used as a diner for most of its existence. The county’s archives, tourism bureau and museum will now be permanently housed at the county museum building off the courthouse square at the southeastern corner.

“Everything just came together,” Hoyle said. “Of course, with anything like this you’ve got to tweak every once in a while during [the move], but luckily, that was at a minimum. Those workers in the courthouse were highly cooperative in getting things together.”

To make sure that communications like the Internet would still be available during the transition, Hoyle and some contractors hired by the county ran cable to make accommodations.

A fiber loop was run from the county’s Annex Building beside the courthouse square to the old Butternut building and then around the square to the District Attorney’s office and ending at the archive and museum’s building. The state’s Administrative Offices of the Courts and Juvenile Probation offices are on another computer network than the county, so a T-1, high-speed communications link was installed that reaches Montgomery and a wireless server was put in for those departments.

Other communications, such as video conferencing links were provided so that judges could continue to arraign conference and set bond from the bench.

“That takes time [to accomplish],” Hoyle said of the network of wiring. “It’s not like it takes two or three days.”

Hoyle said that the move took about three months in total.

For judges and those who must attend court in Ashville at the Butternut building, the transition has been seamless, though the appearance of the courtroom is a bit different for some.

“It’s been a great transition,” District Judge Phil Seay said. He noted that the Butternut courthouse will seat 100 people comfortably.

“It’s adequate for a large group,” he added. “Harold Hoyle with the county commission did a great job making everything as suitable as possible.”

District Attorney Richard Minor said, “The environment has changed, but the work has remained the same. The legwork is a little bit different. Instead of walking across the hall if you forget a file, you’re walking across the street; which is not a problem. [But it is] a five minute delay of walking across the street.”

Minor said that his office has had to make sure that its files are kept in boxes that are carried from his office to the court in case of rain and added that people who have to visit the court sometimes take a bit to get used to the new digs.

“They’re making the best out of a bad situation,” attorney Charles Gosnell said of having to hold court in a non-traditional arena.

“I think that the biggest change is that you can watch out of the window and see people looking to see where they’re supposed to go,” Minor said.

On days where multiple courts are being held, the judge with the smallest caseload will hold court at the Butternut building while the other will use the County Commission chambers at the county’s Annex Building.

“It works out fine,” Judge Seay said. “We’re very comfortable. It’s done real well.”

The town of Ashville has offered its city courtroom to be used at any time in case there is an overflow of cases being held at the northern courthouse. So far that courtroom has not had to be used.

Due to the fact that there is limited courtroom space in Ashville, jury trials and grand juries are being held at the Pell City courthouse.

One aesthetic change in the temporary courtroom is the addition of large, burlap-covered panels to muffle sound in the chamber during court proceedings.

Though they are a bit plain now, Hoyle and Odenville High School art teacher, Mary Morrow are planning to have county schools participate in an art contest to paint the panels and add some flavor to the temporary courtroom.

“The only rules will be that there are no rules,” Hoyle said of the themes for the murals.

“It’ll be different and add a little bit of variety,” District Attorney Minor said of the artistic additions.

“I think it’s an excellent idea,” Judge Seay said of the artistic mural-panel contest. “I’ve talked with them and all of the judges believe it’s a great idea and [it will] get the kids involved in some way [in government].”

District Attorney Minor added that in 16 months he and his staff will welcome the newly renovated courthouse, regardless of what has to be done in the meantime. “From what we’ve seen, we’re really looking forward to it. It will be a welcomed addition that can’t get here too soon.”