ASHLAND — Common pleas court proceedings taking place over the next 15 weeks or so will move to a conference room on the second floor of the Ashland County Department of Jobs and Family Services building.
Ashland County commissioners hired Simonson Construction Services under an emergency resolution Thursday to fix a ceiling in the 94 year old courtroom.
Commissioners said a part of the ceiling in the common pleas court has started to bow. They said it poses a safety hazard for those who sit underneath.
“It’s been dropping for the last few months,” commissioner Jim Justice said. “It’s gotten to the point now where … we should not use it ‘as is.’”
The project has been estimated to cost no more than $210,000, plus another $10,500 for the removal and reinstallation of light fixtures. Commissioners hired BCU Electric for the electrical component.
‘Quite an adventure’
The work, commissioner Jim Justice said, is slated to start this weekend. Crews will remove chairs, benches and other fixtures in the courtroom to allow for Simonson’s subcontracted crew from Fremont to start construction.
Commissioner Denny Bittle said the outfit from Fremont specializes in restoration of older buildings.
The work will include pulling the ceiling down and restoring it, along with light fixtures.
“Part of the problem is not knowing what’s up underneath all that old horse-hair ceiling. It’s gonna be quite an adventure,” Justice said.
The project will only affect the courtroom. The other offices on the courthouse’s second floor, therefore, will continue to operate as usual.
But all court proceedings that would normally occur inside the courtroom will move to a conference room at the Ashland County Department of Jobs and Family Services.
Judge David Stimpert said all proceedings that are difficult to do over video will be done over at the JFS conference room. That includes trials, some motion hearings, grand juries and evidentiary hearings.
“It’s gonna be a try and learn process,” Stimpert said. “But I think it’ll be sufficient for our needs. The commissioners and folks at JFS have gone out of their way to make sure we have what we need over there.”
JFS Director Peter Stefaniuk said the room is a large conference area in the building’s second floor. He said the room is secure and should meet the needs of attorneys, clients and other law enforcement personnel for the estimated 15-week window.
Agencies from around the county frequently use the conference room for meetings, Stefaniuk said.
He said the arrangement could pose a logistical challenge, but he’s confident everything will work out.
“We’ll continue to serve the public here at our building,” Stefaniuk said. “It will be a change in how we use the space here — we’re gonna adjust. Our staff is very positive, and we’re looking to make this work as best we can.”
When there are conflicts, Stefaniuk said JFS will have to schedule meetings to occur elsewhere in town or in the county.