Clermont County Commissioners discuss cost of Batavia office

Congresswoman Jean Schmidt will be moving her Clermont County office to Union Township as the Commissioners discuss eliminating buildings that have become to costly to maintain.

Schmidt signed a two-year agreement with the Union Township Trustees after she was approached by Trustee Matt Beamer. She had held an office on Main Street in Batavia formerly occupied by Rob Portman.

Schmidt was not paying rent for the Batavia office, and will not pay rent for the Union Township office in the UT Civic Center.

“I think it will be a tremendous opportunity to have her, or her office staff, remain in Clermont County, but more importantly in Union Township,” Beamer said. “I think it will go hand in hand with this facility, with the post office, senior services, and the amenities and services we have. I think it’s very important for the people of Union Township to be informed and to be well represented in Washington D.C.”

Beamer said the Civic Center is ideally located near state Route 32, I-275, the surrounding townships, and Anderson Township. It also has ample parking for visitors.

“I think it will be a feather in our cap to have her and her staff here,” Beamer said.

Union Township Trustee Tim Donnellon said he felt it was very important for a Congresswoman from their county to maintain an office in their township.

“We have a resident of this county that is a representative of Congress, the people of this township should have the ability to address that person at an office here,” Donnellon said. “I think it’s an excellent idea for you to ask the Congresswoman to come here.”

Trustee Robert McGee also emphasized the importance of keeping an office for Schmidt in the county.

“She has been an asset to us so far and I think we need to keep that asset here in Clermont County,” McGee said.

Congresswoman Schmidt sent a letter the Clermont County Commissioner Bob Proud on Jan. 11 stating she would not seek a renewal of her contract for the Batavia office and thanking the commissioners for providing the office in the past.

The building was one of three buildings on two parcels purchased by the county in 1990 for a little less than $.5 million. New Clermont County Commissioner Archie Wilson said at the first meeting of the year that he wanted to look into the use of the building because the Transportation Improvement District had recently moved out of the building and there were concerns that the Congresswoman was not fully utilizing the office.

“I don’t think it was a wise decision to buy that building in the first place, but it was never our intention for the congresswoman to move out today,” Wilson said.

Commissioner Ed Humphrey said the properties were likely purchased because they were adjacent to the county’s current property.

“Those parcels were bought because they were adjacent to our current location and they were probably at a premium because of the location,” Humphrey said.

Proud said he was serving on the board when the purchase was made and voted against the move.

“I vote no every time we try to buy property along Main Street because I think it hurts the village,” Proud said. “At that time we wanted to get out of some leased space.”

After the Congresswoman has moved out of the building, the only remaining portion of the building in use will be the second floor where Time Warner connections for the Clermont County Communications Office are located. County administrator Dave Spinney said the estimated cost of moving the hookup and equipment is about $20,000. The county would lose its grandfathered status and would begin to pay and additional $50 to $100 per month for internet service through Time Warner.

Wilson asked that the commissioners continue to discuss the building along with other county owned buildings that have been determined to be no longer cost effective to maintain.