MAHONING COUNTY Renovation ruckus resolved at domestic relations court

The goal is to limit access to the judge's chambers.
By BOB JACKSON
VINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- A renovation of Mahoning County's domestic relations court offices is moving forward with the blessing of county commissioners.
The project was once a bone of contention between commissioners and Judge Beth A. Smith.
"Everyone is happy now," said Mark Huberman, Judge Smith's chief magistrate.
The plan is to install a reception area from which people could be directed to the courtroom or a waiting area. Access to court offices, and especially to the judge's chambers, would be restricted.
Huberman said it's important because with the current office configuration, the offices and chambers are easily accessible from the fourth-floor hallway.
"It's like Grand Central Station," Huberman said. "Everybody just walks in."
What's planned: For security reasons, Huberman said access will be limited by installing a locked door at the hallway that will have to be buzzed open for entry. It's needed because of the emotional nature of domestic relations cases.
"It's a court of human emotions," Huberman said. "When you put someone in jail for failure to pay child support or you take someone's kids away from them, emotions run very high."
The project will be paid for with a $26,000 grant from the Ohio Supreme Court that must be used for security.
Commissioners balked at the project last summer because they felt Judge Smith had sidestepped them in the planning process. They believed all courthouse renovation projects should be approved by a committee of officeholders, which was not done.
Judge Smith said at the time that she was not trying to dodge the system, and did not know that one existed.
County Administrator Gary Kubic said commissioners are on board now.
"What we're looking at now is the outcome, not so much the process," Kubic said.
Here's the concern: He said commissioners were concerned that a wall that's to be knocked out as part of the project was a load-bearing one that could cause structural damage to the building. They also did not want to disturb the historical or architectural integrity of the courtroom area.
He said the wall is not load-bearing, and does not contain ductwork or electrical wiring, so should be no problem to remove.
Commissioners voted this week to seek bids for the project, but Huberman said he's not sure when work will commence or be completed.