Commissioners move forward with selling old county jail

NORWALK — The Huron County commissioners are planning to move forward with selling the old county jail, but will not allow a paranormal group to investigate the building first. During Tuesday's meeting, commissioner Skip Wilde said he was asked by an individual from the Ohio Paranormal Group asking permission to investigate inside the old jail. Commissioner Terry Boose said there could be liability involved in allowing a group in the building. "I honestly don't want somebody in there right now," Wilde said, "At this point, it's for sale and liability. We don't want anybody in there." Commissioner Joe Hintz said the county "really" wants to sell the property. The commissioners decided in May to move forward with plans to sell the building that once housed the county jail and sheriff's home. The building sits next to the courthouse on Benedict Avenue and was constructed in 1887. Since the current sheriff's office was built, the previous jail has been used for storage. The courthouse and jail were both listed as a historic district in 1974 on the National Register of Historic Places. Prior to the sale of the building, all connections with heat and water service will be disconnected, as they are currently attached to the courthouse. In other business, the commissioners will allow elected officials to decide on current COVID-19 policies in their respective departments. As of today, all health orders are lifted throughout the state. Boose said signs on the doors of buildings requesting masks need to be taken down. Plexiglass that has been installed will remain. "I think we just go back to pre-COVID," he said. "It's totally up to elected officials what they want to do for their departments." Due to health orders being lifted, the commissioners will now meet again in their chambers at the Huron County Administrative Building. The commissioners also approved a subsidy grant agreement for community-based corrections programs and a transfer of funds for contract and repairs at the Huron County Sheriff's Office and Jail.