HOLLIDAYSBURG — Blair County court-related departments and their employees drew praise Wednesday at the annual “State of the Court” ceremony for efforts to make more information available to the public by updating their websites.

President Judge Elizabeth A. Doyle said it was the departments that suggested the focus for this year’s ceremony, which turned into a good presentation of the results.

They’ve made important information available to everybody with a computer, the judge said.

The improvements, accessible through the county’s www.blairco.org website, include a replica version of an official juror summons and what’s involved in being a juror — at the current pay of $9 a day.

The updated websites also answer questions regularly presented to the county’s court administration, custody, domestic relations, cost and fines and adult and juvenile probation offices. And they now provide a variety of forms those offices regularly ask people to complete.

Judge Ilissa Zimmerman commended those involved in the updates that will help the users.

“What this court system does is treat every person who comes in here as someone who needs the court … who is basically a customer and who is someone we are here for,” Zimmerman said.

Doyle, Zimmerman and fellow judges Wade A. Kagarise and Jackie Bernard also thanked the court-related employees for helping them do their jobs.

“You make me proud with the amount of dedication you put into your every day efforts,” Bernard said.

Kagarise also commended the employees for their contributions.

“You’re part of our team,” Kagarise said. “We really value what you do on a day-to-day basis and we simply wouldn’t be able to do it without you.”

Doyle presented this year’s Raising the Bar Award to Kimberley Gray of Altoona, an administrative assistant in the domestic relations office who has worked six years for the county.

The anonymous employee who nominated Gray described her as a valuable mentor who makes time for others and exhibits exceptional customer service skills.

“She makes everyone feel welcome and appreciated, is strong in knowledge and not afraid to stand tall in tense situations,” the nominating employee wrote.

Gray said she was surprised by the honor because as she listened to Doyle read the nomination, she thought of other employees who fit the description.

Gray also said that she does her job on a case-by-case and person-by-person basis.

“I was a single mother for a lot of years so I have some experience with the reasons people are visiting our office,” she said. “Because I’ve been in their shoes, I know how I wanted to be treated. And that’s how I try to treat them.”

Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 814-946-7456.