Upgrades planned at Portage County courthouse, prosecutor's office
A number of long-awaited upgrades to county buildings are moving forward, including hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of work at the Portage County courthouse and prosecutor's office.
More:Many capital projects might be done in 2022, county officials said
JoAnn Townend, director of internal services for the county, presented county commissioners this week with a list of county projects, including several that had been updated. Commissioners had been considering millions in capital improvement projects, including some planned for this year.
Many of the updates Townend presented are at the Portage County Courthouse in Ravenna, where judges have requested a renovation to change the way family court cases are handled. Townend said the latest request is to move Probate Court clerks to Riddle Block 1, but the estimated cost of the renovation is over the bid limit, and new drawings are needed.
A parking lot to serve the court was recently approved by Ravenna's planning commission and the architect is moving forward with bid documents in hopes of finishing the renovation this year. The project is expected to cost $688,632.
More:Ravenna updates: 'Wet Go' planned at former car dealership. More parking coming to downtown
Townend said plans to replace two elevators at the courthouse are awaiting reports from state inspectors. One serves the entire courthouse, while the other brings inmates to the court from the jail, and both cannot be down at the same time. A limited use, limited access elevator has been delivered and is in the process of installation.
Chairs are being replaced in the common please courtroom and jury box, at a cost of $28,753 and carpet is being replaced at a cost of $27,461.90.
Commissioners recently approved replacement of a telephone system for the office at the Portage County Prosecutor's Office at a cost of $872 a month for 36 months. Commissioner Sabrina Christian Bennett joked that she had canceled her order for cups and strings because of the new system.
An architect was hired at a cost of $39,300 to replace the windows and façade at the building, a project expected to cost $300,000.
Hills Pond Dam removal in Mogadore still pending
Meanwhile, the long-awaited removal of the Hills Pond Dam is still pending. Townend said a meeting took place between the county engineer and prosecutor, and the engineer will provide more information.
"There was originally only money for removal," Christian-Bennett said. "Now there's money for refurbishment and improvement. It's a win-win for all parties."
The dam, also known as the Pretty Glen Dam, was built in 1938 as a family recreation area. Located just north of Mogadore in eastern Summit County near the Portage County border, the small dam has been a headache for the county since 2012.
In 2016, engineering firm EMH&T of Columbus determined that major structural repairs would be needed to increase holding capacity, or the dam would need to be removed, with the retention basin replanted to allow a free flow of water.
The county took steps toward removing the dam in 2018, but nothing was ever done. Now, commissioners have directed staff to look into grants for restoration of the stream bed, which represents the largest share of the project cost. Last year, the county put the dam removal on a long list of capital improvement projects around the county.
Future of Portage County Airport under review
Townend said she recently spoke to Homer Lucas, president of the Portage County Airport board, who said the board was still gathering information for a consultant hired earlier this year. Christian-Bennett said no decision regarding the future of the airport has been made.
"We hired a consultant to see what the future of the airport looks like," she said.
Reporter Diane Smith can be reached at 330-298-1139 or dsmith@recordpub.com.
This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Improvements planned at Portage County courthouse, prosecutor's office
