Pocono News Section

Office Space Crunch

Office Space Crunch - Thursday, August 7, 2008 at 4:12PM EST

Reported by: Laurie Monteforte
Thursday, Aug 7, 2008 @ 04:12pm EST
STROUDSBURG - If you think you have a small office, think again. It could be worse. Some people at the Monroe County Courthouse are working out of closets.

The Monroe County Commissioners recently announced they plan to buy a building to expand the courthouse and workers say it's desperately needed.

Pauline Scappa has a corner office, a very small corner office. She does all of her work at the Monroe County Domestic Relations Department jammed between the wall and filing cabinets.

She laughed, "Just lucky I guess."

Pauline once had a normal sized work space but as the county grew, so did her files.

"We've expanded so much. This is just the fastest expanding community," she said.

Files also took over the Probation Department.

Chief Probation Officer Steve Houloose said, "We have files in every office, in every nook and cranny that we have in our reception area, and then lining the complete hallway."

He added he barely has room for his staff. He said, "Not only are we out of space we're in a dilemma as to what we do next year."

The next person that he hires will have to literally work in a closet, with a desk squeezed between storage and courtroom clothes.

Relief could soon be on the way. The Monroe County Commissioners say they may buy a building on Main Street that they could use to give people like Pauline real offices.

"That's nice. It sounds nice," she said.

Commissioners say they've agreed to buy the former Wycoff Department store building on Main Street for more than a million dollars. They've also purchased a vacant lot near the courthouse.