Allen County voters will decide in November whether to approve bonds up to $9.95 million for a courthouse remodel.
The project is led by a committee including 31st Judicial District Chief Judge Daniel Creitz, who calls the matter “a need, not a want” because of safety concerns. If the county doesn’t address the issue now, he fears an incident could happen in the future that will force their hand.
The existing courtroom and associated offices are congested, and prisoners must be led through the office space from the jail to the courtroom for hearings. Deputies must wait with inmates in the hallway or courtroom, and multiple inmates may be shackled together.
The safety issues became even more apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic, Creitz said, as social distancing requirements exposed more of the security concerns and lack of space.
The project would add a second courtroom identical to the existing one, with additional or reconfigured space for offices and holding rooms; a jury room and conference rooms; and improved security and handicapped accessibility.
Initial plans also included an underground tunnel and elevators to transport prisoners from jail to the courtroom, but those things were removed to save more than $1 million.
Though the project would build onto the courthouse, it is not expected to take much of the “green space” on the lawn, committee members said. The exterior design is planned to blend with the existing structure.
The county hired Crossland Construction of Columbus in January to lead the project. The company also will help the county promote the bond issue. If the bond doesn’t pass, Crossland will not charge a fee to the county. If it does, Crossland’s fee will be included in the bond.
County commissioners on Tuesday approved a resolution for the bond election on Nov. 7.
