The Hillsdale County Board again took no action July 14 on relocating the 2B District Court — leaving the roughly $3 million project unresolved as a deadline to vacate the court’s current building approaches in 2028.
Commissioners have weighed options for months, with discussions intensifying in June after officials asked an architect to provide fresh input and were left with three possibilities: two of them possible expansion plans at the Historic Hillsdale County Courthouse and the final a long-intended conversion of the county-owned building at 25 Care Drive — currently home to LifeWays.
All three options were estimated to cost roughly $3 million.
Commissioner Doug Ingles said the architect toured the courthouse in the spring and found the existing structure “very challenging.” One proposal calls for a roughly 6,000-square-foot addition extending into a portion of the current courthouse parking lot. A separate proposal would place the addition in a nearby grassy area.
During the meeting July 14, officials said the architect’s scope was limited to examining whether operations could fit inside the existing courthouse without an addition — a scenario some officials and experts have said isn’t feasible.
Commissioner Brent Leininger pointed to existing financial constraints, saying all three plans would likely require major departmental cuts or a millage request.
“It comes back to funding,” Leininger said. “Without major cuts to multiple departments or an additional millage levy, there’s no way for us to afford building any type of addition or remodeling 25 Care Drive.”
Several commissioners urged action as the timeline tightens. Hillsdale County must vacate the courthouse annex by October 2028 after selling the building in March 2023.
“We have really reached the point of no return,” said Commissioner Brad Benzing. “We need to set a path.”
Benzing said officials were previously told by an expert for the National Center for State Courts that the 2B District Court wouldn’t fit inside the Hillsdale County Courthouse. Ingles added the problem is hardly new; officials have known since the sale of the annex.
Yet, no motion was made July 14. Leininger indicated he plans to bring one forward July 28.
— Contact reporter Corey Murray at cmurray@hillsdale.net or follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @cmurrayhdn.
This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Hillsdale County Board again delays decision on 2B District Court
Reporting by Corey J. Murray, Hillsdale Daily News / Hillsdale Daily News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Corey J. Murray, Hillsdale Daily News | USA TODAY Network
