FARRELL

Mercer County commissioners are considering another location for a district justice's office that is moving to Farrell.

District Justice Henry J. Russo's office is located in the 1100 block of Mercer Avenue in Hermitage. Commissioners had said Russo's new office would be built on a vacant lot on the corner of Spearman Avenue and Roemer Boulevard. And they still have not ruled out that location for the office.

But Commissioner Cloyd E. "Gene" Brenneman said the county learned last week that a nearby building

Commissioners had said that Russo's new office needs about 3,000 square feet. Primary Health uses about a third of the 5,200-square-foot building on Roemer for office space, according to Commissioner Olivia M. Lazor.

Some county officials have toured the Primary Health building, but Brenneman and Mrs. Lazor said the county has not had it appraised yet. "So right now this is in the very preliminary stages. In my personal opinion, I expect that we will have more definitive information in about 30 to 45 days," Mrs. Lazor said.

Both commissioners said they believe that, with the Spearman-Roemer construction plans not finalized, the county has a fiscal responsibility to investigate the other site to determine if it would be more economical.

The county has committed some engineering costs to the Spearman-Roemer site, Mrs. Lazor said. Commissioners have said they plan to use part of a $34 million bond issue to relocate Russo's office as well as District Justice William H. Fagley's in Greenville.

Brenneman and Mrs. Lazor also said time is of the essence with regard to the Russo relocation project. Both said his office is cramped and in poor condition.

State Fire Marshal Robert S. Goeltz said that about a year-and-a-half ago, after receiving complaints, he inspected the office and subsequently filed a report with the county identifying numerous problems with the office building. He said that to his knowledge only minor changes have been made there, and he is still concerned about the regular high-occupancy rates inside the cramped building, among other things.

Farrell Mayor William Morocco said he is concerned about the possibility that a new office won't be built on the vacant lot at Spearman and Roemer, and that the city was the last to know that the Primary Health site was being considered.

"We (city officials) weren't contacted about it. When we found out, it just struck us as kind of odd," Morocco said. "We've taken steps to prepare the site at Spearman and Roemer and purchased some additional (adjacent) property, thinking it would allow for the best layout and more room for parking."

Morocco added that he would like to see a construction project in the city. "We need a symbol. People in the city need to see the turning over of dirt and something being built here," he said.