Hancock County official moves to reduce costs

12/7/2002

FINDLAY — Hancock County Commissioner Virginia Clymer packed her bags yesterday, saying she was moving her office to a vacant, county-owned building down the street.

To free up space for the domestic relations court and save security costs, Mrs. Clymer recommended last month that commissioners vacate the courthouse, but she got no support from fellow commissioners Steve Oman and David Spahr. She said she was tired of waiting around, adding that the common pleas judges recently ordered that the domestic relations court be moved to the courthouse within 60 days for security reasons.

Also yesterday, Sheriff Mike Heldman announced that he was reducing the hours at his administrative office to save money. The office now will be open from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

The county is facing a budget crisis that prompted commissioners to order all department heads to reduce their 2003 budgets by 6 percent — an amount that could increase to 11 percent later in the year.