Over a year after ground broke for a multi-purpose facility, officials still have no move-in date.
The $4.9 million project established a new building on East High Avenue to house the Tuscarawas County Board of the Elections Office and the Emergency Management Agency.
Election Director Gail Garbrandt says difficulties laying down a gas line delayed the project and the move-in date.
“We’re waiting for furniture and they’re not going to deliver the furniture until around the 20th and our drop date for the board March 8th, so we would have to make the decision to move the furniture we have over here then when the new furniture arrives move the old out. They talked about doing a logistics and accuracy testing at the new building, training. I wish we could do early voting at the new building but at this point it’s a board decision and I can’t really say.”
County Commissioner Kristen Zemis explains the move will benefit the courthouse and Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Office.
“That’ll free up some other space. The jail and the sheriff really need the space that EMA is vacating. The same thing with our courts. Our courts really need the space that our board of elections will be vacating.”
The building will have a main section to house elections staff and a back portion for EMA. While internally connected, visitors will need to use separate external doors. Funding came from ARPA, grants, and the state.
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