Commissioners mull costly Justice Center repairs

By Rory Ryan
The Highland County Press

If it weren’t for bad news, there would have been little news.

In a 20-minute Wednesday morning session of the Highland County Board of Commissioners, the board announced several pending – and active – building repair projects that could total close to $1 million – money the county doesn’t have.

Commissioners Shane Wilkin, Tom Horst and Jeremy Shaffer discussed the ongoing roofing repairs at the historic Highland County Courthouse being completed by Maines Construction of Hillsboro, additional repairs needed at the Hi-TEC Center, and a roof replacement for the 13-year-old Highland County Justice Center that has been estimated at $15 to $30 per square foot – for approximately 30,000 square feet.

“The estimate at the Justice Center, on the ‘cheap’ end is $500,000,” Wilkin said. “On the other end, it’s up to $1 million. That much money we do not have.”

“No, we don’t,” said Highland County Auditor Bill Fawley, who attended the board meeting.

“I’m going to spend Friday (Oct. 24) at the Justice Center meeting with roofers,” Wilkin said.

Wilkin said the county also was informed that an engineering design was necessary to replace the existing roof. “I can’t understand why an engineering design is necessary for a (relatively new) building that is already up,” he said.

Commissioners are seeking estimates on renovations at the Justice Center and the Hi-TEC Center that, if not addressed, will be a bigger problem, Wilkin said.

The current work on the northwest side of the courthouse will continue “for the better part of a month” and parking will be limited along Governor Foraker and Governor Trimble.

The Highland County Courthouse is Ohio’s oldest courthouse in continuous use as a courthouse. Published records date the courthouse construction to 1832-34. Commissioner and former sheriff Tom Horst said the northwest section currently under repair, which once housed the sheriff’s office and jail, was built in the 1860s.

Commissioners also passed a resolution for new energy-efficient interior lighting for the Highland County Administration Building and the courthouse. Gilbert Construction has provided an estimate of $23,500, Horst said, with a reimbursement of $10,000 from AEP. The remaining cost will be covered from discretionary funds from the office of Highland County Clerk of Courts Ike Hodson.

Commissioners thanked Hodson for his willingness to help offset the expense.

“We’re fortunate that our departments that have these funds – the judges and clerk of courts – are very generous with the funds available,” Wilkin said.

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CEDA update

Wilkin briefly updated the board on the Community Economic Development Academy (CEDA) seminar that he and County Clerk Nicole Oberrecht attended in March.

The academy is sponsored by the Appalachian Partnership for Economic Growth and funded by AEP Ohio.

The purpose of the academy is to help local economic development professionals and key community leaders understand the types of information required and why they must be able to respond quickly to site planners' requests for information.

In May, InSite Consulting LLC of Greer, S.C. was in Highland County, meeting with local manufacturers and touring the industrial park areas.

InSite Consulting is "a multifaceted consulting group offering services in site selection, economic development consulting and training, and real estate,” according to its website, www.insiteconsultinggroup.com.

“Nicole and I worked on the CEDA plan and some priorities for economic development,” Wilkin said this week. Wilkin said a new proposal for the county has been submitted and they are awaiting potential funding from AEP.

Related story 
http://www.highlandcountypress.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=22842&SectionID=2&SubSectionID=20&S=1

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Resolutions

In addition to the interior lighting resolution, commissioners passed the following resolutions, each by a 3-0 vote:

• A modification in the Dog and Kennel Fund in the amount of $2,000.

• An additional appropriation to the Spay and Neuter Program in the amount of $400.

• An additional appropriation to Highland County Sheriff’s employee salaries in the amount of $2,437.44.

• A modification to the Soil and Water Budget in the amount of $700.