MAHONING COUNTY Custodians celebrate courthouse anniversary

Custodians didn't want to wait until next year to have a birthday party.
By BOB JACKSON
VINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Custodians at the Mahoning County courthouse figured it was better late than never to throw a party for the building's birthday.
Feeling bad that the 90th anniversary of the courthouse opening passed without notice last week, custodians pitched in their own money to buy birthday cake, plates, napkins, forks and balloons.
They served the cake to employees and visitors in the courthouse rotunda.
The building, which fronts Market Street and sits between Boardman and Front streets, opened March 6, 1911.
"I think that date should be marked down and we should do something every year," said Tom Rusback, custodial supervisor. "We've got a beautiful building here. It's probably one of the nicest courthouses in the state."
Couldn't wait: Rusback said custodians were among the many courthouse employees who had no idea of the anniversary until reading about it in The Vindicator. He suggested that they note the date and be ready for a celebration next year, but workers didn't want to wait, he said.
"This is something that they all wanted to do and they all pitched in and did this together," Rusback said. He said they bought a marble cake to represent the courthouse's marble interior.
The staff has worked hard the last nine months to clean the interior and this was a good chance to show off it off, Rusback said.
Already planning: Vindicator files show the courthouse's 50th anniversary also went unnoticed. Robert Rupeka, common pleas court administrator, said that won't happen when the 100th anniversary rolls around.
"I've already started making plans for a celebration when that one gets here," Rupeka said. "We won't miss that one."