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Cheaper courthouse restoration sought
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Mahoning County commissioners will advertise for new architects and engineers to restore the county courthouse on Market Street.
YOUNGSTOWN
The Mahoning County commissioners will advertise anew for architects and engineers to oversee restoration of the 102-year-old county courthouse.
Immediately after they voted unanimously to do so at their Thursday meeting, Architect Robert Mastriana of the 4M Co.; his brother, Paul, who serves as company business manager; and their lawyer Joe Bishara, left the meeting. All three declined to comment on the commissioners’ decision.
Mastriana prepared an extensive report three years ago, detailing the deteriorated condition of the courthouse, highlighting dangerous conditions that were addressed immediately and spelling out a $10.1 million program of restoration for the courthouse, including some repairs to the 57-year-old county administration building.
After the commissioners’ meeting, Carol Rimedio-Righetti, chairwoman of the commissioners, said Mastriana’s courthouse- restoration proposals were too expensive for the county, and she wanted to advertise for proposals by other architects and engineers.
“Mahoning County, of course, does not have an abundance of money, so we have to look at what’s cost efficient,” but consistent with historic preservation, Righetti said.
The county has borrowed and saved more than $8 million for the courthouse restoration and county administration building repair projects, but Righetti said she hopes the county can save some of that money for needed improvements at the 17-year-old county jail.
Righetti said she hopes at least some top-priority work can be performed during this year’s construction season.
The county has gone through three winters with a temporary courthouse roof, which was installed after rooftop statues were removed and put in storage in October 2010 due to building deterioration and safety concerns.
Righetti said Mastriana has been paid for all the work he did for the county and that the county does not have a contract with him to oversee the restoration work.
In other business Thursday, commissioners approved spending $94,500 for the state auditor to do a performance audit of the county engineer’s office, which was requested by new county engineer, Patrick Ginnetti.
Unlike a regular financial audit, the performance audit will evaluate the efficiency of the operation of the engineer’s department, said Ginnetti, who took office Jan. 7, upon the retirement of Richard Marsico.
The performance audit will be paid for with fuel-tax and license-plate funds.
“I don’t think anything in particular was done wrong [by the past administration]. I just want to get this done so we get off on the right foot,” Ginnetti said. “I want to make sure things are done correctly,” he added. “It will help us become more efficient,” he predicted.
The commissioners also approved a $14,625 agreement with ES&C International LLP of Youngstown to provide a preliminary engineering feasibility study for a McCartney Road (U.S. Route 422) sanitary sewer extension in Coitsville Township.