OBSERVER Photo by Andrew Kuczkowski Though an effort by the town justice, Perrysburg Town Court will receive a near $10,000 grant from the state. The improvements will come at the entrance of the court. The Town Hall will also be getting new roofing.

PERRYSBURG — The Perrysburg Town Court and Town Hall are expected to receive grants to improve the facility.

The town will be in line to receive a $50,000 grant for its roof, according to town board councilman Richard Gabel. One part of the roof will be reshingled – which was last done around 30 years ago – and more will be done to upkeep the other parts.

“The money is there apparently, but we have to present a building proposal. We haven’t received the grant, we have to apply for it,” Gabel said. “But I had to come up with some figures for the work on the town hall.”

Gabel is “very optimistic the town will be awarded the grant money, though the project has no set timeline as of now.

The town court, through the persistence of a town justice, will be given a $9,834 grant by the New York State Unified Court System’s Justice Court Assist Program. The grant will create a new entrance to the courtroom as well as new furniture and equipment. Most of the grant — $8,900 — will go toward construction. Another $754 is for chairs and $180 for a shredder.

“It’s for the professionalism of the court,” said Lori Dankert, Perrysburg Town Justice. “You want to walk in and say, ‘Oh, this is really nice.’ And not walk in and go ‘this looks like a dungeon,’ which people have told me.”

In previous grants the town received, they remodeled the chambers and courtroom, new carpets and appeased safety issues for security.

Justice Dankert has been the driving force in seeking money to the courtroom. But why does she do it?

“Because I love my job,” Dankert answered. “I worked here 16 years — eight years as court clerk and eight years as judge going on my ninth as judge. So I’ve been up here for a long time and worked for the town and the village since, oh my God, since ’96, (that) is when I started with the village, when we had a village.”

In coming years, Dankert looks to apply for the same grant but to improve other issues like handicap accessibility, doors and fix the ceiling.

Said Dankert: “Little at a time, we will get them done.”

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