Despite complaint, Attleboro District Court was re-cleaned as required, official says

ATTLEBORO — Last month, that state Trial Court asked the county to clean Attleboro District Court again after at least one employee complained coronavirus disinfecting had not been performed.

A county official, however, said Thursday that the North Main Street building was cleaned as required by COVID-19 protocols after the closing on Jan. 21.

“The cleaning was done,” Maria Gomes, county administrator, said Thursday when asked by The Sun Chronicle about employee complaints.

The building, which is owned by the county, was re-cleaned at the request of the state Trial Court over the weekend of Jan. 29 in response to a complaint, according to Trial Court spokesperson.

Gomes said the COVID-19 cleaning includes a disinfecting mist on surfaces commonly touched, such as doorknobs and file cabinet drawers.

The court was temporarily closed in October, on Jan. 21 and again on Feb. 9 because of COVID-19 exposures, including two court employees and a lawyer.

Four court employees told The Sun Chronicle the sticky film on surfaces after the initial cleaning in October was not present after the closing Jan. 21. They did not want their names published.

In response to the pandemic, courts throughout the state have limited the number of people allowed in buildings and are conducting criminal and civil business via video conference.

Anyone allowed in the buildings are screened by court officers.

Despite the precautions, courts throughout the state have had to close temporarily because of the pandemic.