Cost effectiveness is determining factor

I would like take this opportunity to share with you some of the issues before the Seneca County Board of Commissioners. As a Seneca County commissioner, my position in relation to the courthouse has been exactly the same from the moment I took office, and that is; I will support the course of action that is most fiscally responsible in providing space to the judiciary of Seneca County. Now more than ever, saving tax dollars is my No. 1 priority.

For several years, it has appeared the former 1884 courthouse could not be renovated in a cost-effective manner. All cost estimates for a renovation project exceeded $10 million. A $10 million-plus project greatly would exceed our resources and neither I, nor the voters, would support such a project. Faced with no other cost-effective options at the time, the decision was made to remove and replace the courthouse with a new more conservative structure for about $6.5 million.

Now, however, the commissioners have a proposal from the Seneca County Courthouse and Downtown Redevelopment Group Inc. that would complete the project for less than $8 million. According to the SCCDRDG, after private grants and other financial sources, the local taxpayer burden could be as low as $3.5 million. This would be a savings of $3 million over new construction. My support for the renovation of the 1884 courthouse would be contingent upon saving the taxpayers of Seneca County money over removal and replacement.

I believe I was elected to serve in the best interest of the residents of Seneca County, not to do what special-interest groups think I should do. Those special-interest groups include those that would have me vote for renovation no matter the cost and those that would have me demolish and build new no matter the cost.

This is not about "winning" or "losing" but rather, this is about providing good government in a cost-effective manner. I truly believe the vast majority of Seneca County residents just want the commissioners to do what is most cost effective within the resources we have, nothing more and nothing less, and that is what I will continue to do.

Thank you,

Ben Nutter, Tiffin