MAHONING COUNTY Roof work means odor in the court

Judges said the smell of hot tar was strong but did not appear to bother jurors.
By BOB JACKSON
VINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Mahoning County courthouse is getting a new roof. Roth Bros. of Youngstown started Monday.
County commissioners awarded the company a contract last month to replace the roof of the courthouse and the adjacent administration building for $341,565.
The company was also awarded contracts to repair the roof at the sanitary engineer's office on Industrial Road for $18,760.
Advanced Roofing of Youngstown was awarded a $34,500 contract to repair roofs of other county buildings.
The administration building, which houses the commissioners' and several other county offices, was done last week.
Coping with smell
The smell of hot tar filled the courthouse during the morning and afternoon Monday, but county administrator Gary Kubic and Administrative Judge James C. Evans said there were few complaints from employees and visitors.
Judge Evans, who began a civil jury trial Monday, said the odor was significant enough that he asked jurors if it bothered them.
"Some of them wrinkled their noses, but none of them said it was a problem," he said.
Judge Robert Lisotto also said the smell has not bothered jurors in his fourth-floor courtroom, where he is conducting a murder trial.
Kubic said commissioners tried to have the work done during the time of year when the weather would be cool and windows would be closed.
Flow of money
The roofs have not been on a regular maintenance schedule for several years because of financial uncertainty created by the on-again, off-again status of county sales taxes, said Commissioner Ed Reese.
He said the periodic loss of sales-tax revenue, which feeds the general fund, has prevented commissioners from establishing a contingency fund to maintain the structures.
"We've held off as long as we could," Reese said.
Kubic said commissioners borrowed money earlier this year to pay for the roof projects and other building improvements.
bjackson@vindy.com