Media Release: Commissioner Konop update planned on Lucas County Court House
This in via email from the office of Lucas County Commissioner Ben Konop:
Lucas County Common Please Judge Jensen and Lucas County Facilities Director Earl Reid to Update Commissioners on State of Lucas County Courthouse
(Toledo, OH)- In hopes of avoiding the fate of the Seneca County Courthouse, Lucas County Commissioner Ben Konop has requested an immediate update on the status of the Lucas County Courthouse. Judge Jenson and Facilities Director Reid will brief the Commissioners on the upkeep and structural issues of our courthouse at the beginning of the Commissioners meeting today, Tuesday August 14, at 9:30AM in the Commissioner’s Chambers on the First Floor of Government Center.
“Our courthouse is an integral part of our community and must be maintained for generations to come”, stated Konop. “I believe the county has invested the necessary resources to insure that this community treasure thrives well into the 21st Century, but we must make sure that we are on the right course,” added Konop.
In 2004 the Commissioners, including the current Board President Commissioner Skeldon Wozniak, allocated $1,300,000 in capital improvement funds for Courthouse renovations in six phases, at least half of which are completed or on-going.
In the last 20 years, the Commissioners have provided for a major renovation of the Courthouse second floor, the Courthouse stair tower, replaced tiled and repaired the Courthouse roof, renovated the third floor and added elevators, continued renovation of the historic roof components, and added exterior lighting and a pedestrian tunnel.
“I know my colleagues and I share a desire to not only have the court function as a center of justice, but also serve as an historical landmark and beacon for our community,” noted Konop. “I am eager to get input from Judge Jenson and Mr. Reid in order to make this vision a reality, concluded Konop.
I have no doubt that Konop and Jensen are the best people to head up this job. I know both, and both are great people. In addition, I have worked at that courthouse and know that it has been under several improvements for the last decade. While Konop may be a (D), and Jensen(R) are inherently opposed, I have no doubt that both wish to keep that courthouse up-to-date. Judge Jensen is one of the finest people I’ve ever met (and I think the same of Judge McDonald and Ben Konop), we should respect these good leaders. The city demands good leadership, no matter the party.
August 14th, 2007 at 1:08 amI’m happy to see our government planning ahead rather than waiting until there is a problem. I love the Courthouse, it’s one of my favorite places to visit when I’m downtown.
August 14th, 2007 at 1:12 amThat’s the county government. Not so much the city government. The city has a lot of work to do. The city has cut so much that it is down less than one prosecutor per judge. There are 8 judges per 6 prosecutors, and this is carty’s fault, because he won’t hire anymore prosecutors. Like prosecutors, carty has also reduced the police force by not accepting a new class. This is a very dangerous game that Carty is playing. Cuts should not be made to our basic servises. It gets no more basic than the poiice.
August 14th, 2007 at 1:37 amIn the Prosecutor’s office last week I overhead 2 men behind the door going over their latest attempt to get Carty to hire more prosecutors. The answer was ..”no money in the budget for it.”
I hear the cryer of broke on all things..except the 40k+ for flowers, and money for bike paths and so on….I should think a Prosecutor would have come in under the number for that crap.
August 14th, 2007 at 6:24 amThank goodness we don’t live in Seneca County. At least we have greater appreciation for our historic county courthouse.
August 14th, 2007 at 8:28 amA script right from the Toledo Blade…
August 14th, 2007 at 8:57 amI, too, love the courthouse. The floors, the wonderful staircase, the rounded big windows, just the feel of the place. And outside the detail work on the building is great. I’m glad some are looking out for its welfare.
August 14th, 2007 at 9:54 amOur courthouse is an integral part of our community and must be maintained for generations to come”, stated Konop. “I
The Lucas County Courthouse is important to Mr. Konop.
It enabled Mr. Konop’s father to defend three of the most heinous murderers in Toledo History. Mr. Pablo Pons, Mr. Jeffrey Hodges and Father John Robinson.
The money earned by his father on those cases afforded young Ben the opportunity to go to the finest schools and get the finest education possible.
August 14th, 2007 at 11:43 amConcerned Citizen, you should know better than anyone that even the “heinous” deserve legal representation. I’d also point out that the Father Robinson Murder Trial was well after Ben had graduated from college and was earning money on his own.
The historical significance of the Lucas County Courthouse involves more than cases Alan Konop tried…
August 14th, 2007 at 11:54 amC’mon LisaRenee, what money has our Junior Professional Politician ever earned the wasn’t taxpayer money? Daddy’s money or taxpayer money, Ben’s never had to worry about tarnish on his silver spoon, there was always plenty of food on the table. This “man of the people” act is a sham he’s atypical “do as I say, not as I do” lib. He’s just waiting for Marcy to retire, and he’ll be back in DC “representing” us from afar.
August 14th, 2007 at 12:00 pmAgain, this has nothing to do with the Court House, but being a law professor would not be what I would consider related to tax payer dollars. If you don’t like him or his father, that’s your right and opinion but…there are many of us who value the historic nature of the Court House and want to see it preserved.
Whether you like the Konop family or not, the story is the history of the building and how other communities did not do what they needed to do to preserve their history and in this scenario Lucas County has. Which should be pointed out started before Ben was even elected.
August 14th, 2007 at 12:06 pmLisa…….defense attorney’s always justify their existence by saying “everyone deserves representation under the law.” It helps them to sleep better at night.
I’m sorry as I far as I’m concerned Ben Konop’s past, present and future was and will be paid for by “blood” money.
The victims of the families involved must be highly upset that he is involved in discussions about the Lucas County Common Pleas Courthouse. Konop and the Lucas County Courthouse has to be a bad reminder for them. He should have kept out of this media opportunity. It’s in totally bad taste.
Besides the Lucas Common Pleas Courthouse has been well maintained, renovated, sandblasted and of course underground parking was added for the judges in recent years.
August 14th, 2007 at 12:12 pmUnfortunatley the “history” of the courthouse includes the heinous murder trials that have occurred there.
August 14th, 2007 at 12:14 pmConcerned Citizen, of course all of the murder trials that have happened are part of the history, as well as the many thousands of marriages that have happened, history is “the good, the bad, and the ugly”.
It’s more than just defense lawyers who say that “everyone deserves representation” it’s a huge part of our country’s system that sets us apart from others.
I believe the purpose of this media report was because other courthouses have been in the news that are either facing destruction or being saved, and there are quite a few people out there that might not be aware of what Lucas County has done to preserve our Court House, the natural question some would have asked when reading what is happening in Seneca County is “What about our Courthouse”? That’s what makes it an “earned media” story.
August 14th, 2007 at 12:25 pmAgain, whatever good intentions Konop may have had concerning the Courthouse are tainted by his father’s defense of the worst of the worst of criminals.
Yes “everyone deserves representation” in our system of government but I still believe Mr. Konop should have thought out the connection between his father and the Lucas County Common Pleas Courthouse.
His father hasn’t done any “good” things in reference to the “history” of the Courthouse. I just wish he might have been a little more sensitive on this issue.
If he aspires to higher office he needs to look at the entire picture and consider his father’s assocation with the Courthouse but more importantly, the feelings of the victim’s families.
August 14th, 2007 at 12:32 pmLisa………sometimes we just to agree to disagree. I still like you and your blog.
August 14th, 2007 at 12:36 pmThanks, Concerned Citizen, I still enjoy your participation and appreciate your sharing your thoughts, if we all agreed not only would life be very boring but there would be little reason to even have a blog like this one. We’d all be sitting around patting ourselves on the back in agreement and that would not only not challenge us to think but get old after a while.
August 14th, 2007 at 1:05 pmback at ya Lisa
August 14th, 2007 at 1:17 pmJudge Jensen has met with every commissioner, since he became a judge, to discuss and work on ways to improve/maintain/restore the County Courthouse. I was specifically struck by the original gold color of the, now black, railings along the stairwells during my ‘orientation’ in 2003.
There have been plans in the Capital Improvement Budget, dating before my time on the BCC, for such Court House projects and I expect that the list of projects will continue to be funded in the future.
Sorry to say that this isn’t a news story…except for the fact that it makes a contrasting point about Seneca County (and why the Blade is on that kick, I don’t understand.) I understand that Ben has asked for an update before the commissioners at their meeting – which will be nice for the public. Personally, I kept up with such things via the monthly reports Earl Reid made to the board…
August 14th, 2007 at 3:37 pmMaggie,
Always the voice of reason…. so refreshing!!
(not flirting)
August 14th, 2007 at 5:17 pmRegardless of one’s political affiliation, is anyone else tired of seeing Ben Konop’s name in the paper (s)?
August 14th, 2007 at 8:34 pmNot me Media Hog, it is refreshing to see a young man from my generation to be elected. I’m tired of the 30-40+ year long career-oriented politicians. Their views are a too strange for my taste.
August 14th, 2007 at 10:33 pmMedia Hog,
You bet I am….And why I am not surprised at that post Mr. Rocket.
August 14th, 2007 at 11:04 pmWhile it’s nice that Ben Konop does exactly whatever John Robinson Block tells him to do (he does, after all, owe him big time), as a Seneca County native, I can tell you that nobody – and I mean NOBODY – in Seneca County cares what the Toledo Blade or its Pittsburgh based publisher thinks about their courthouse. I worked in downtown Tiffin for several financial institutions and had to file documents at that courthouse, and in my opinion the building isn’t worth renovating. More importantly however is the fact that residents were given the opportunity to pay higher taxes to fix it up, and they said no. That is infinitely more important than the opinion of a man who owns a newspaper for the same reason we know who Paris Hilton is.
August 15th, 2007 at 8:46 amGreat point Hammertime. The citizens of Seneca County have spoken. I too spent a significant amount of time in the Seneca County Courthouse. It should have been torn down 20 years ago.
August 22nd, 2007 at 10:11 pm