Commissioners weighing options on old jail

NORWALK — Huron County commissioners are still weighing their options with the old county jail. The commissioners decided in May to put the building up for sale but no offers on the building have been approved. 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. Skip Wilde said the commissioners are still listening to comments and there's more to discuss. "There are still some ideas that we haven't researched," Wilde said. The commissioners also received a report from the Huron County Mental Health and Addiction Services Board. In 2021, there were 125 overdoses in the county, with 24 overdose fatalities. There were 104 mental health calls for the year, with 54 suicide attempts or suicide-related calls. For the year, there were 13 completed suicides. During Tuesday's commissioner meeting, Wilde was voted as the new president and Harry Brady was chosen as vice president. The commissioners' meetings are held every Tuesday and the first and third Thursdays of the month beginning at 9 a.m. in the commissioners' board room of the Huron County Administration Building. Public comment is scheduled for 9:05 a.m. at each meeting. The county will again be applying for funding for improvement projects through the Ohio Public Works Commission. Lee Tansey, Huron County engineer, said the program is very important. Many of the larger projects the county has completed, Tansey said, has been with the assistance of this program. Commissioner Terry Boose said the program is one of the most successful methods of regional funding. "It's a great program," Tansey said. "It really helps small communities." The commissioners also awarded RMH Concrete & Foundations the bid for the Huron County Courthouse ramp project. The work will be completed for $22,401. Boose said once the project begins, there will need to be temporary accommodations, as handicap access to the courthouse will be limited. Boose also suggested the commissioners dedicate time during their meetings to hear updates for ongoing projects. "There are too many projects going on and we need to keep track of them all," he said. "We don't want any to get delayed."