MAHONING COUNTY Planners nudge changes for court another step further

A financial analysis of consolidating the courts is forthcoming.
By BOB JACKSON
VINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- A plan to overhaul Mahoning County's misdemeanor court system is moving forward in baby steps.
Some members of the corrections planning board, which has pushed for reform the past three years, are frustrated by the slow progress.
Judge James C. Evans of common pleas court said other counties are being progressive and changing their systems, but Mahoning can't seem to get past just talking about it.
"Somewhere along the line, we've got to get out of the infancy stage of our courts," Judge Evans said.
The county has area courts in Austintown, Boardman, Canfield and Sebring, where judges serve part time. The courts hear primarily traffic cases, misdemeanor criminal cases and small-claims matters.
Plans for change
In 2000, the corrections planning board began working toward replacing the four part-time judges with three full-time ones. Because judicial terms are set by Ohio law, legislation is required to make the change.
The board also wants to eventually consolidate the Austintown, Boardman and Canfield courts into one central facility. The Sebring court probably will be left alone because it's too far for people from that part of the county to drive to one of the other areas.
The plan had been moving steadily forward but stalled last year because of the county's budget problems.
At a meeting Friday, the planning board agreed that it wants to move forward again but first wants a cost analysis.
Projections
Prosecutor Paul Gains said going to full-time courts would cause his budget to increase by about $150,000 a year. Assistant prosecutors assigned to the county courts are part-time but would have to be made full-time with more pay.
They also would have to hire clerical help for work currently done by the assistant prosecutors' private secretaries and the clerk of courts, Gains said.
Judge Joseph Houser, who presides over the Boardman court, said the area courts' budgets would most likely increase by about $250,000 a year because of increased costs for judges' salaries, clerical staff and a law library.
Commissioner David Ludt said there's no money available now to pay for those increases.
"As far as additional funding, at this point, everything is off the board," Ludt said.
Board members said there could be some savings from consolidating the courts in one building, eliminating rent payments for current buildings.
Chairman Mark Huberman will gather financial impact information from all affected offices, compile it and report back to the board and commissioners.
bjackson@vindy.com