Judge advocates renovation of courthouse's fourth floor

WARREN -- Changes to the courthouse could be made possible because of $562,000 in a special projects fund under the control of Trumbull County Common Pleas Judge Andrew Logan.
Logan, the court's administrative judge, told county commissioners Monday that the fund has been accumulating value for several years. It is the repository for special project fees the court collects. The court has used the fees for renovations in the past.
"In my mind, we will use it to renovate the fourth floor of the courthouse," Judge Logan said. The courthouse, which received a major renovation 10 years ago, has also received repairs this fall to walls that were damaged by water that got in because of a roof problem. That repair cost $24,865.
The court's overall budget request for 2006 is $1,936,419, a $190,225 increase over 2005.
Bigger caseload
Judge Logan said the caseload gets greater every year, and this is making it difficult to have enough space in the courthouse. The Adult Probation Department moved out of the courthouse and into the county's Stone Building across the street a few years ago to make more room.
Now, he said, it might make sense to also move the Sheriff's Department Civil Division office out of the courthouse to provide a space where attorneys could meet with a client "to resolve cases." At present, court officials try to find out-of-the-way places for them to talk.
Judge Logan said the fourth floor needs to be cleaned up and renovated to provide a secured evidence room and storage room. At present, no good place has been found to store court reporters' notes so they are piling up in hallways, he said. He said Probate Judge Thomas A. Swift also needs more room.