Oakhill acquisition was good for county, Tablack says

YOUNGSTOWN — Acquiring Oakhill Renaissance Place was a good investment for Mahoning County, according to court testmony today by County Administrator George Tablack.

"There are synergy benefits to economically disadvantaged clients," Tablack said. Clients of the county's Department of Job and Family Services now have the city health department, an AIDs clinic and a Head Start program, and eventually will have other agencies available to them, under one roof at Oakhill, Tablack said.

The building, which is near downtown, also offers substantial space for county record storage, he added.

The $5.3 million the county borrowed in the bond market to renovate permanent quarters for JFS at Oakhill will be recovered through government grants JFS will receive, he said.

JFS moved into temporary quarters at Oakhill on Monday.

Tablack was testifying on the third day of a nonjury trial of a taxpayers' lawsuit filed by Ohio Valley Mall Co., a division of The Cafaro Co. OVM seks to rescind the county's purchase of Oakhill. OVM is JFS' former landlaord at Garland Plaza. Oakhill is the former Forum South Southside Medical Center.

For the complete story, see Thursday's Vindicator and Vindy.com.