[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6262424,"mediaKeyId","3115316-f9756c4673843219ba53a59c08e09abf","parentId",3115316,"title","Votes at a glance: Portage County commissioners approve leases, airport bids, grants and personnel actions on April 3","audioSeconds",6338,"startMs",985000,"endMs",7323000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3115316-f9756c4673843219ba53a59c08e09abf&start=985&end=7323","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3115316-f9756c4673843219ba53a59c08e09abf/thumbnail_985000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6262424/Portage-County/Ohio/Votes-at-a-glance-Portage-County-commissioners-approve-leases-airport-bids-grants-and-personnel-actions-on-April-3","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6262424-ab238ce4456fe35f80a18a895d32f88f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448187&Signature=gNhMk3XzWdNwzW~UdDNVkwQOa8TZ3S6AKoNERKzumFesPRjc7rKWr4ClYTVujdD23XeMWhdw-QFfvoqzwzvJfzuGJd0d87S93Si6IXs4m7Kyz0Q6taOr3~OFqcgNu2SHPZJpT~by-w-5dF-l4DTyn7paUcAUl9LJbCDmB9zUhwtqIHBYtJaUmCgREkwYQqlMMGz~dlmACtSHZWXrME2Ip~UDgYuh~qDkO8dWEFmr~N5x4k3CdIQ-~M2wEzWx7q100p3zEAapr3Ge8N~FpOCpy7G3UvW2yGIHXcSrN1ia4fDvc~JnUa~zdD7D6Eq4dHRXzsjd1YwL-1maQeOhg3gO8Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Portage County OH","date","2025-04-25T00:23:13.92Z","article","The Portage County Board of Commissioners approved a range of administrative motions and contracts during its April 3 regular meeting, including leases, airport bid dates, contract awards, grants, budget transfers and an employee appreciation floating day.

Highlights

- The board authorized leasing Suites C, D and E at 100 East Main Street in Ravenna to the Portage County Guardianship Service Board at no cost and approved a memorandum of understanding concerning the use of those suites.

- The board set bid dates and approved specifications for taxiway reconfiguration work (taxiway B and connectors A2, B1 and B2) and for apron rehabilitation at the Portage County Regional Airport.

- The board accepted a maintenance guarantee and released a performance guarantee for Wingfoot Estates subdivision (Southfield Township) and agreed to a roadway use and maintenance agreement with Quail Hill Forest Ridge Development Company Limited for a multi-phase subdivision in Ravenna Township.

- The board awarded contracts and accepted bids for multiple Portage County Water Resources projects, including Project PC23-100 (Portage County Water Resources Building Improvements) and approved a general sewer and water improvements agreement for Brookfield Common sewer and water extensions (Project BR-225-030-B).

- The board approved issuing a county procurement card to the Portage County Dog Warden\u0000Office and the chief dog warden, David McIntyre, for work-related expenses.

- The board authorized the Portage County Emergency Management Agency to submit the FY24 first-quarter EMPG cash reimbursement request for $99,376.72.

- The board approved an employee appreciation floating day: 8 paid hours for full-time employees and 4 paid hours for part-time employees to be used by pay period 26 (covering Nov. 24\u0000\u0000\u0000Dec. 7, 2025); the day is waived if not used and may not generate overtime.

- The board accepted a $3,999 grant award for the Portage County Law Library Resources Board from the Statewide Consortium of County Law Library Resources Boards.

Several other routine approvals were completed by roll call with unanimous votes.

Votes-by-item (selected)

1) Lease: Suite C, D, E at 100 East Main St., Ravenna — approved (3-0). Notes: Lease to Portage County Guardianship Service Board at no cost; MOU authorized.

2) Airport: Specifications and bid date set for taxiway B reconfiguration and connectors A2/B1/B2 — approved (3-0).

3) Airport: Specifications and bid date set for apron rehabilitation — approved (3-0).

4) Subdivision: Accept maintenance guarantee and release performance guarantee for Wingfoot Estates (Southfield Township) — approved (3-0).

5) Roadway agreement: Hall Road use and maintenance agreement with Quail Hill Forest Ridge Development Company Limited (Ravenna Township) — approved (3-0).

6) Procurement card: Issue county procurement card to Portage County Dog Warden\u0000Office and Chief Dog Warden David McIntyre — approved (3-0).

7) Sewer/Water: General agreement for Brookfield Common sewer and water extensions (Project BR-225-030-B) — approved (3-0).

8) Capital project: Accept bids and award contract for Project PC23-100, Portage County Water Resources Building Improvements — approved (3-0).

9) Professional services: Agreement with Youngstown State University for applied GIS consulting — approved (3-0).

10) EMPG reimbursement: Authorize signature for FY24 first-quarter cash reimbursement request, $99,376.72 — approved (3-0).

11) Grant: Accept award of $3,999 from Statewide Consortium for Portage County Law Library Resources Board — approved (3-0).

12) Vehicle necessity: Declare necessity to purchase one vehicle for Portage County Sheriff (funded through equitable sharing for drug and violent crime unit) — approved (3-0).

13) Employee appreciation day: Authorize 8 hours paid leave for full-time employees/4 hours for part-time employees; use by pay period 26 (Dec. 7, 2025) — approved (3-0).

What the roll calls show

Most items were approved by unanimous roll calls from Commissioners Sabrina Crawford, Jill Bennett and Mike Timlin. For several items staff presenters stepped forward to explain next steps; no contested votes were recorded on the items listed above.

What was not decided

Although the commissioners approved the board action to request outside counsel for the Domestic Relations judge, that separate resolution generated substantial discussion about the court\u0000facilities; the board did not adopt a specific facilities plan at this meeting.

Several items approved at the meeting require follow-up steps by county staff (contract execution, bid publication, disbursements and procurement-card issuance).","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","BOC Meeting 04/10/2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its April 3 meeting the Portage County Board of Commissioners approved a batch of administrative items and contracts, set bid dates for airport work, authorized grants and budget moves, and adopted an employee appreciation day. Most actions were approved unanimously.","taxTitle","Portage County, Ohio","taxId",18083,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6262429,"Portage County OKs application to appoint outside counsel for Domestic Relations judge; debate over court space surfaces",586,1181000,1767000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3115316-f9756c4673843219ba53a59c08e09abf&start=1181&end=1767","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3115316-f9756c4673843219ba53a59c08e09abf/thumbnail_1181000.jpg","/articles/6262429/Portage-County/Ohio/Portage-County-OKs-application-to-appoint-outside-counsel-for-Domestic-Relations-judge-debate-over-court-space-surfaces","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6262429-2d4f635eab5cc0b1fbece2f2c644fb4f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448187&Signature=E5a3YZSDH~7Bis~JKmqDhCfj9KJMoDRsS9o2GzugoGcjbwE49Ol5Q0ByfF4efDYNgVWeaIQkoZM6n0FA61VYIs1flS8Y6Ga~2R2ALDv906ggEWFZxGO0WcFl-iD5bt4mkT6QR4LbwIi8uTqFFqwxRnEITLUt8H5ISLT~68SO2AssKDt3M6JhZDQQyyB2byVkv1Xf3t3WCaTLHxX0w-cY5Mw8rJl4ADTlBus9hC~QW47feRijStJ7A-nSWunehqZYCCjf56fi-0k352qTv-Bo1xf5Km7QOPEVlhmS431e-Snt1WG1e3qNAzOB8mPCOYE80S324K-BiBFcKSYYIWx3jg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Portage County Board of Commissioners voted April 3 to apply to the Portage County Court of Common Pleas to authorize the appointment of outside legal counsel to represent Domestic Relations Judge Paula Gillette, approving payment of $120,000 from the county general fund.

The action authorizes the county prosecutor and commissioners to ask the common pleas court to permit employment of outside counsel to assist the judge in a dispute over court facilities. Commissioners Sabrina Crawford, Jill Bennett and Mike Timlin voted in favor of the application.

The item began with a formal reading of the resolution and a letter dated April 7, 2025 from Judge Gillette requesting appointment of outside attorneys. The resolution names the attorneys and firm as provided in the submitted documents (transcript text: “Gephart a Gonsnall the second and Arnold and Clifford LLP, Columbus, Ohio”) and specifies compensation of $120,000 to come from the general fund (fund 0001).

The vote followed lengthy public remarks and debate focused not on the legal representation itself but on the underlying dispute over the domestic relations court’s facilities. Commissioner Sabrina Crawford said she opposes building a new courthouse or a new 30,000-square-foot structure solely for the domestic relations court and emphasized fiscal constraints on the county’s general fund. Crawford said the commissioners had searched for alternatives and had tried remodels but still believed new construction would be fiscally irresponsible. “I am not in favor of a new building,” Crawford said during the meeting.

Commissioner Mike Timlin, president of the board, and Commissioner Jill Bennett both said they supported proceeding with the application because the prosecutor’s office is conflicted and cannot represent the judge in the dispute. Timlin noted the statutory process under the Ohio Revised Code that allows the common pleas court to authorize outside counsel when a county prosecutor is conflicted or other statutory conditions exist. Bennett agreed but said she voted “begrudgingly” because of the larger facility debate.

Judge Paula Gillette spoke during the public-comment portion of the meeting. She said she seeks “safe space” for people who litigate family matters and that the options presented so far were not feasible for the court. Gillette said she had been asked to review specific existing sites (she cited NDS in testimony) and that the court’s primary need is safety and adequate space, not necessarily a new standalone courthouse. “I am just asking for safe space for the domestic relations court,” she told commissioners.

Commissioners and staff discussed prior studies and options that had been considered over several years, including adding on to the existing courthouse, leasing or renovating other buildings (the Tops Building, the Annex, moving probate), and the possibility of moving other courts to different locations. County staff noted some proposals were not feasible because of leases or building configurations; commissioners said they had attempted multiple options without agreement on a workable solution.

Outcome: The board approved the application to the Portage County Court of Common Pleas to seek appointment of outside counsel to represent Domestic Relations Judge Paula Gillette; compensation for the outside counsel is set at $120,000 to be funded from the county general fund (0001).

The item drew extended attention from the board and the judge but produced no direct action on court space at the meeting; commissioners said they will continue to look for workable facility options while the legal step proceeds.","The Portage County Board of Commissioners voted to apply to the Portage County Court of Common Pleas to authorize outside counsel for Domestic Relations Judge Paula Gillette, approving a $120,000 payment from the general fund. The vote prompted extended discussion about the court’s long-running space and facilities issues.","actionData","errors"]

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Votes at a glance: Portage County commissioners approve leases, airport bids, grants and personnel actions on April 3

Portage County OKs application to appoint outside counsel for Domestic Relations judge; debate over court space surfaces