Probate/Juvenile Court decision could be made April 20

The court building conflict between the Hancock County commissioners and Judge Kristen Johnson could be decided in three weeks by three other county officials. Johnson, who is Hancock County's Juvenile/Probate Court judge, is adamantly opposed to including adult probation offices in a new building for her court. She does not want adults convicted of felonies to be in the same building with juveniles. She has also expressed concerns about the cost of the building. But the commissioners so far are sticking with their plan and obtained a building permit for it Thursday. Commissioner Timothy Bechtol said the new building downtown would come with sufficient security to keep youths safe. The proposed three-story, 47,153-square-foot building would be on West Main Cross Street between Cory Street and the Post Office. It would be across the street from the Marathon Center for the Performing Arts. It's been estimated to cost $22.4 million. But Bechtol expects the estimated cost to be lower by April 20 when a seven-member panel votes on whether to proceed. It would take a majority of four votes on the committee to decide whether or not to proceed. On one side are the commissioners, who have three votes. On the other is Judge Johnson. So it appears the plan's fate hangs on the votes of the other three committee members: Judge Reginald Routson, Sheriff Michael Heldman and Clerk of Courts Cathy Prosser Wilcox. Bechtol sounded optimistic that the commissioners would be able to win one or more additional votes — a majority — for their plan. He believes Routson would like having adult probation nearer to the Courthouse than its current location, two blocks away at 514 S. Main St. Routson said Friday that it was originally Bechtol's idea to include adult probation, and he likes that idea but has not made a final decision yet. "I told him that I liked the idea," but would need to see more details, including protections for Juvenile/Probate Court, Routson said. "I indicated early on that I liked the notion but would reserve judgment until I saw it and had a chance to talk to Judge Johnson about it." When Johnson said she was adamantly opposed to including adult probation in the building with Juvenile Court, Routson questioned her. "I challenged her to present to me any evidence, any national standards, evidence of how our (adult probation) people would pose a danger to her clients, be it adults or children coming into the building," Routson said. "And I haven't received any of that yet." Having adult probation in proximity to Juvenile Court is typical in other Northwest Ohio counties, Routson said. "If you were to check around and survey courts around northwestern Ohio you would find that many older courthouses have all of the courts in the same building," he said. "In fact, if you go to Wyandot County, the Juvenile Probation Department and the Adult Probation Department share the same hallway and the front doors are literally across from each other." Routson has done other research. "I called Judge (Kathleen) Aubry (of Wyandot County) before she retired to ask her about it and she said it wasn't a perfect fit but she's never had a problem in her twenty-some years as a Common Pleas judge with the arrangement that she had, and didn't find or see the necessity to make any changes to that arrangement," he said. "My view has always been that if I can be presented with evidence or information that it poses a substantial, real danger to the juveniles who come in the building, I wouldn't hesitate to vote 'no,'" Routson said. "But I've never been presented with that information and I'm still waiting for that information." Hancock County Sheriff Michael Heldman and his deputies would have responsibility for security at the new building. The sheriff declined to say Friday how he would vote on April 20. "We have worked through this with everybody around the table at different times. I do have a couple of concerns, and I think that has to be aired out when we have our (April 20) meeting," he said. "I think the commissioners will be able to answer some questions and I think Judge Johnson needs to answer a question as well: Does she really feel comfortable with the adult probation being in the same building?" The expense of the building also is a concern, he said. Years ago, county officials were considering a two-story building, which would cost less than the three stories now being proposed. "Can we be comfortable in supporting a building at the ($22.4 million) price that we have heard in the last few months?" Heldman said. "That's a lot of money for a building right now. I guess we need to all sit down and have a conversation. "Is that something that the commissioners want to really tackle at this point with that price tag? Or is there another alternative out there? I don't know, but we need to all talk about it and come up with a collective answer and make that vote that we feel is proper and right," he said.