Clinton County Common Pleas judge revisits Probation Department’s office space problem

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WILMINGTON — With a board of elections relocation in limbo, the common pleas judge asked commissioners Wednesday to come up with an office space plan for his probation staff.

Clinton County Common Pleas Judge John W. “Tim” Rudduck told commissioners that he felt no further along on the issue of space for the court’s supervision or probation staff than a year ago when it was discussed.

Clinton County Commissioners President Kerry R. Steed said, for his part, he wants commissioners to formulate a plan and see what they can do to move something forward by the end of the year.

Clinton County Commissioner Patrick Haley said with a board of elections’ relocation proposal currently not on the table, he is ready to move on the issue of the Adult Probation Department’s need for more space.

Clinton County Commissioner Brenda K. Woods asked Rudduck to clarify his suggestion regarding the supervision staff potentially using space presently occupied by the Tax Map and the GIS (Geographic Information System) offices in the courthouse.

There are two employees who work in the Tax Map office “in essentially the same [amount of] space” as nine or 10 supervision staffers currently occupy, said Rudduck.

Rudduck suggested the Tax Map and the GIS spaces become space for the probation staff, and to keep part of the current Probation Department space, too.

Woods, noting her first job with the county was in the Tax Map office, said employees there make daily visits to the offices of the county recorder and county treasurer because all three offices for their own purposes keep track of real estate sales.

If Tax Map is not in the vicinity of the recorder’s and treasurer’s and auditor’s offices — all four currently are housed in the courthouse — then the county will be paying the mileage involved in the driving, said Woods.

Steed raised the possibility of moving Tax Map and GIS to the Annex Building on Nelson Avenue where the county Building & Zoning Department, among other county offices, is located.

Rudduck said the court’s supervision staff presently is working in “cramped conditions” and moreover, because of the close proximity of the work stations, what’s being said between a particular probation officer and their person on probation is not really private.

Rudduck also met with commissioners Wednesday on the court’s and the probation department’s 2018 proposed budgets. In keeping with commissioners’ request that departments cut non-personnel spending by 10 percent compared to this year, the court’s budget proposal has a 12 percent reduction in non-personnel items.

Reach Gary Huffenberger at 937-556-5768.

From left, Clinton County Common Pleas Bailiff Kelly Hopkins and Clinton County Common Pleas Judge John W. “Tim” Rudduck await the start of their Wednesday appointment with county commissioners.
http://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2017/10/web1_common.jpgFrom left, Clinton County Common Pleas Bailiff Kelly Hopkins and Clinton County Common Pleas Judge John W. “Tim” Rudduck await the start of their Wednesday appointment with county commissioners. Gary Huffenberger | News Journal

By Gary Huffenberger

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