| | The Courthouse - Soon To Be No MoreJanuary 6, 2012 - Al StephensonOn New Year's Day I went for a walk. The weather was nice for a January day and I decided to head downtown. My destination was the Seneca County Courthouse. I wanted to see her once more before the wrecking ball would send her to her grave. As I walked I thought back to my memories of the structure. The two things that stood out for me was the high ceilings and the huge doors. It also seemed to be a busy place, one that had an air of importance. I went to the Courthouse several times as a boy because my mother worked there. I recall her greeting people that she saw on a regular basis. There seemed to be a shared warmth between them. When I got to the Courthouse I noticed a gentleman who appeared to be slightly older than myself. He was gazing wistfully at the Grand Old Dame. I walked toward him and we chatted for a few minutes. He was obviously saddened by the machinery that sat waiting for the inevitable. He mentioned that he visited the Courthouse many times beginning as a youngster. "You could do all your county business in one stop," he pointed out. His wife appeared from around the corner, camera in hand. She said she wanted her grandchildren to know what the Courthouse looked like. I bid them goodbye and continued to circle the building. I found myself getting a little emotional. That surprised me a little as I have bittersweet memories of the Courthouse. It was always fun to go visit my mom at the Courthouse, but then one day she came home in tears. You see she had been fired from her job. "For what," her family wanted to know. She didn't really know, but her boss told her that she was TOO efficient. You heard that right folks. He actually told her that her problem was that she was TOO efficient! It left a bitter taste in our mouths. It gave me a poor impression of politics. Though she was hired in another Courthouse office shortly thereafter, the damage was done. My family kept quiet about the incident for a long time. Even after my mother passed away we still kept the information private. So will tearing down the structure give my family a sense of closure? No way. The Courthouse didn't fire her. The gutless wonder who did is now also deceased so perhaps we are somewhat over the senseless act. I would prefer to remember the good times at the Courthouse and now those will be fading memories as the building is about to come down. The view from my seat suggests that it is a shame that this historic landmark will be torn down. When it is though, I hope people will forgive and move forward. Article Comments(8)UmpireJan-23-12 12:00 AM While the momentum is going, let's get something done with the East JH. Repair it or tear it down, but that's the biggest eye sore for me. CountryGalJan-20-12 8:58 PM Another example of why Tiffin/Seneca County is dying & the laughingstock of the area, if not the whole State. mechanicJan-20-12 5:04 PM If the brick and mortar was good where is all the dust coming from? JSherredAdamsJan-08-12 7:36 PM We need people like Jeff Spellerberg running this county. [and the country too!!] JSherredAdamsJan-08-12 7:34 PM [read in reverse order [3 parts]] According to budgets I've read, the courthouse's exterior could easily be restored and new windows added, for under $1.5 million dollars. After that, the courthouse could be put back to use with the installation of an elevator on the side next to the annex, to make it wheelchair accessible. I am unsure whether a security "Sally Port" could also be needed to be added there, but my point is, for the same $5 million the commissioners are going to spend five years from now, for a "new" courthouse which they admit is not large enough and will not meet the county's space need study, the commissioners could have the old courthouse looking "restored" from the outside and operational again. You might not get all the bells and whistles and all the fancy options everybody wanted, but I promise you, the choice is so simple even a cave-man could see what to do: restore the larger, more valuable, $25 million dollar asset and forgo demo JSherredAdamsJan-08-12 7:32 PM Spellerberg, continues Further, over the last three years the commissioners were presented three separate estimates comparing restoration of the old courthouse, as compared to demolition and building a new courthouse. Each estimate stated that restoration would be cheaper than building a new courthouse. Each estimate reported that while the courthouse's exterior was cosmetically poor, the courthouse was essential a very sound structure, in remarkably good shape, and it could easily last another 150 years if restored. And each estimate was rejected by the Commissioners who never stated any facts for why they disagreed with the experts. What the commissioners are doing is akin to tearing down your house because the exterior paint is peeling. So the demolition of the courthouse is foolish from the perspective that the commissioners know they will spend more money building a new courthouse. JSherredAdamsJan-08-12 7:29 PM Let's read what Jeff Spellerberg has to say:If the current county courthouse were restored, its asset value on the county books would be over $25 million dollars, for an expense of about $8 million. This higher asset value would result in the county having a better credit rating, which would enabling the county to borrow money at a cheaper rate in the future. Any new replacement will be an asset worth no more than the cost of construction (currently "guesstimated" by Ben Nutter at $5 million). This would mean a comparative net loss in assets owned by the county of around $20 million dollars, probably meaning the county will pay higher interest the next time it borrows money. So the demolition of the courthouse is financially foolish from the perspective that it damages the county's balance sheet and borrowing power. Further, over the last three years the commissioners were presented three separate estimates comparing restoration of the old courthouse, as compared to demolit Post a Comment | in: News, Blogs & Events Web  |
