Kent, County Officials Discuss Courthouse Options

Kent and Portage County officials sat down Thursday afternoon to talk about plans for a new courthouse and .

No formal action was taken, but both sides generally agreed to take another look at whether a partnership between both government entities could save the county money on the .

And from Kent's perspective, city officials may be hoping the third time's the charm.

At the start of the meeting, Kent City Manager Dave Ruller gave a brief history of the past two attempts on the city's behalf to work together with the county on the new courthouse. The first, about four years ago, started when the city approached the county with the idea of working together to build a combined courthouse and new police station.

"At that time it didn’t work out," Ruller said. "We didn’t forget about you.”

Then, about two years ago, the city approached the county offering space in its downtown redevelopment block for the new courthouse — potentially in exchange for a land swap for the old courthouse.

"At that time, unfortunately it didn’t work out,” Ruller said. "To some extent, those are still on the table. For the most part, what we’ve been trying to say is tell us what you need from us and give us a chance to respond.”

Since then, the county has looked at a number of sites both downtown — such as the vacant site behind — and toward the city limits, such as the old mall site at the corner of S.R. 43 and S.R. 261. So far, the county still has not chosen a site.

Redevelopment may have room for courthouse

Portage County Commissioner Chris Smeiles said one thing that has changed since those two proposals were made is the county now has a footprint for the new courthouse and the number of parking spaces needed for it.

That footprint, Smeiles said, is for a two-story building with about 25,000 square feet and 134 parking spaces.

“We now have a footprint that can be placed in the sites we’re considering,” he said.

And there may still be space in Kent's downtown redevelopment project for a building that size.

Originally, with Columbus-based The Pizzuti Companies in the development block. But recently the university and Pizzuti decided to combine the hotel with the conference center in the triangle-shaped area bordered by Haymaker Parkway, South DePeyster and Erie streets.

That move, Ruller said, potentially frees up space in the development block along South DePeyster Street for the new courthouse. He cautioned that the notion would still need further review.

"I can’t say if it’s entirely doable right now, but it’s in the realm of possibility," he said.

Cost big concern for commissioners

The big issue is money for Portage County commissioners Maureen Frederick and Tommie Jo Marsilio.

Marsilio said she takes her responsibility seriously as a manager of county taxpayer dollars.

“There is no particular site in the city of Kent or throughout Portage County that inherently makes me happy or sad," she said. "This is about money."

During Thursday's meeting, Municipal Court Judge Kevin Poland reminded the commissioners that the new courthouse will be paid for through a special projects fund, which accumulates about $45,000 per month — at $20 per case — as a court cost tacked on to county court cases. The fund has accumulated almost $3 million.

Still, Poland said that doesn't give commissioners free rein to spend whatever they want on the project. That, he said, would be absurd.

Marsilio said the fund doesn't even have half the money needed for building the new courthouse. "Which means debt for the county. And I’m taking that very seriously."

"Overwhelmingly … every time we sit down it’s a money issue," Frederick said. "That’s been my paramount concern. How can we be as conservative as possible. Do I want to see it remain in Kent? Of course. You just want to say, ‘where can this be done possibly at less cost.'"

Ruller asked Marsilio if she would be willing to trade an asset in land for an equal asset if it saved the county the expense of buying property for the new courthouse.

"That’s certainly more palatable to me than laying out another $1 million" to buy land, she said.

Administrators pitch pros of Kent

During the meeting, city officials made their case for keeping the courthouse in Kent with numbers.

"I’m sure it’s no secret to you much of the activity in the Kent court comes from the law enforcement agencies located on that end, the west end, of the county," Kent Safety Director William Lillich said.

The Kent court has jurisdiction for Kent, Brimfield, Aurora and Kent State University police departments. Of the 7,240 total cases in the Kent court last year, the city accounted for 4,272, Brimfield had 1,205 and Kent State accounted for 959, Lillich said.

"To have the court located somewhere else in the county, it’s going to substantially impact the operational expenses of all those agencies" in terms of fuel and staff hours, Lillich said.

Kent Law Director Jim Silver said cases that originate through citations from the Kent police generate about $500,000 in revenue for the county annually. The only other agency that comes close is the Ohio Highway Patrol.

"So we experience a substantial increase in cost without necessarily getting any return," Lillich said.

Ruller said current estimates show the county will receive $400,000 in revenue each year through property and sales taxes once the downtown redevelopment project is done. And that figure is without the courthouse.

"We’re all sort of betting the future on this project," he said. "We need the court very badly because you are part of an activity center in our downtown, which we need to support those businesses. We are heavily invested, fairly extended for what we’re trying to do, with a very slim margin."