On the agenda: Springfield meeting — Flock safety (Aug 20)

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August 20, 2026
Board of Clark County Commissioners and City of Springfield
Joint Public Meeting
August 20, 2026
City Hall
76 E. High Street, Springfield, Ohio 45502

City Board Members Present: Commissioner Chris Wallace; Commissioner Larry Ricketts; Springfield City
Mayor Rob Rue; Assistant City Mayor Tracey Tackett.
County Board Members Present: Commissioner Sasha L. Rittenhouse; Commissioner Charles A. Patterson;
Commissioner Greg R. Kaffenbarger.
Mayor Rue called to order the meeting for the city commission.
Commissioner Rittenhouse called the meeting to order for the county commission.

Resolution 2026-0009W

Mayor Rue explained the purpose of the meeting is to share information about the proposed future site for the
public safety building. He explained comments will be taken from the public after the presentation and anyone
who wishes to speak will need to fill out the comment card. Comment cards will be taken until the end of the
presentation. Mayor Rue commented that he and Commissioner Rittenhouse agreed that if another meeting is
needed, they will schedule one.
Mayor Rue explained purpose of the meeting is to share as much information as possible and have an open
dialogue.
Sheriff Clark explained the location of the proposed new public safety facility is on State Route 72 North, just
south of 334. He reviewed the reasons for building a new facility being planning for a safer, more functional
public safety building. Goals are to develop a facility than can safely and efficiently serve law enforcement, law
enforcement personnel, individuals in custody, families, attorneys, and other visitors. =
Sheriff Clark clarified that the proposed facility would be a jail, not a prison. He explained jails are short-term,
high-volume facilities, with an average stay of about 4.5 days and a maximum stay of 18 months, while prisons
house people convicted of felonies for years.
He said prisons typically have outdoor yards, work areas, and extensive medical facilities, whereas, this jail would
be a secure indoor facility without a yard. All inmates would remain inside and possibly have frosted glass or
skylights. All inmates will remain inside. Jail housing generally requires a higher level of security than generalpopulation prison housing.
Sheriff Clark explained that a new facility is needed because the current jail is designed for 167 inmates but has
recently held approximately 210 people. The average daily population is 206 inmates. The existing jail lacks
adequate space for treatment, rehabilitation, programming, and mental health services. Because many inmates
have mental-health needs, Sheriff Clark said that incarceration can be an important opportunity to connect willing
individuals with care, which may reduce recidivism and prepare people to return to the community.

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Sheriff Clark commented that the Clark County Public Safety Building has no dedicated officer-training space.
The current room serves multiple purposes, including meetings, training sessions, and promotion ceremonies, and
is too limited to support the full range of needed training.
Sheriff Clark reviewed the timeline of when conversations began regarding the new public safety building from
2012. DLZ was hired in 2019 to evaluate if a new facility was needed. The study found that the existing facility
was at the end of its useful life and that a replacement was needed. The county updated the analysis in 2023 and
2025 to ensure any new facility would meet community needs and remain sustainable for the next 30 to 40 years.
A Public Safety Committee was formed in 2025, which meets regularly to plan for future public safety needs.
A site on State Route 72 South was identified in August 2025, followed by a public open house in October and a
sales-tax ballot levy in November 2025. After the levy failed, the county conducted a countywide survey in
January 2026 and found that the public did not support the original State Route 72 South location.
He said the county has evaluated more than 30 alternative sites, many of which were not viable for various
reasons. He added that a downtown location is not practical because the facility that is needed required more
acreage than is available downtown. The county consulted with DLZ and determined that building a vertical,
downtown facility would increase construction costs by approximately 40%. Operating a vertical facility would
require additional staffing, resulting in an estimated $3 million in added annual overhead compared to a singlestory building.
Sheriff Clark said the site selection focused on countywide accessibility. The site needs sufficient acreage for
required setbacks, landscaping and screening, efficient sheriff’s office and jail operations, and future expansion.
The county does not want to build a facility that looks like an institution. The new site will need to allow for
future expansion, unlike the current jail. Renovating the current facility could reduce bed capacity due to current
state space requirements. Other considerations of site selection were acquisition and development costs,
floodplains, utility access, response times, and effects on surrounding properties. The proposed site is owned by
the City of Springfield, creating an opportunity for a city-county partnership.
The county is working on a plan to minimize the impact of inmate releases. There is also a plan to reroute the
bike path through the soccer fields. It will not impact the site and will maintain a safe connectivity area.
Sheriff Clark reviewed the reasons the facility would cost so much. He said the proposed project is a fully secure,
456-rated-bed facility using a direct supervision design. The layout would allow staff to supervise more inmates
with staffing levels similar to current operations, while improving safety for both staff and inmates and increasing
overall operating efficiency. The facility would include secure evidence storage, a modern booking and intake
area, and space to properly classify inmates by offense severity and housing needs, as required. Current space
limitations prevent the jail from fully performing that classification function.
The plan would co-locate the entire Sheriff’s Office with the jail, creating a substantial law-enforcement presence
at the site. The facility would also expand medical, mental health, treatment, and reentry services. The current
medical area is too small for today’s inmate population and that additional on-site capacity could reduce
unnecessary hospital transport while better addressing inmates’ physical and behavioral-health needs.
Jennifer Hutchinson, County Administrator, discussed the cost of the project. She said the cost is estimated at
$125.7 million, which is up from an earlier estimate of about $100 million due to the increase in

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construction costs. The breakdown is $102 million for construction, $23 million covers design, engineering,
architecture, contract and construction management, etc. Approximately $747,000 is included for the land-related
costs, including a $500,000 payment to the City of Springfield for the property. The city plans to use the $500,000
for water, sewer, and utility improvements near Eagle City Road rather than retaining it as profit.
Based on Ohio jail construction projects, Ms. Hutchinson said costs typically range from $800 to $1,100 per
square foot. The county’s current estimate is approximately $931 per square foot.
Ms. Hutchinson said the funding would come from state grant funding, the county’s capital fund, and $1.5 million
in OneOhio funding. She said additional grant funding may be possible. The county currently anticipates roughly
$100 million in financing, with an estimated annual debt payment of about $18 million.
She discussed the possibility of reductions of non-mandated community services if other funding is not found.
Ms. Hutchinson said the next steps would be to pursue required conditional-use permits, secure access
agreements, and begin the relevant state review process by year-end. The county would continue site work and
design through the winter.
Ms. Hutchinson offered an email address ([email protected]) for the public to be able to make comments
and ask questions. The presentation from the meeting tonight will be on the website along with other jail
information which is available on the county’s website.
Audience Comments/Questions:
Diana Daniels appreciated the presentation and believes the planning is thorough. She encourage the public to
separate facts from emotion. She described her visit to the current jail facility and said she was alarmed by its
deteriorated condition. She discussed visiting the current proposed jail site and found no visible houses from the
site and feels the site would have little apparent impact on surrounding neighborhoods. She did voice concerns
about the bike path since she is a frequent cyclist. She asked when construction might interrupt the path, how
long any closure would last, and if a reroute would be provided.
Commissioner Rittenhouse said there is currently no specific timeline on the bike path, but the county will do
their best to minimize the disruption to the bike path.
Terry Adkins said he supports the new jail and that it is needed. He feels the location is a win-win with utilities
being run to the soccer field. He discussed people being concerned about escapes but in London the senior
complex was built right next to one of the prisons, and they have had no issues. Mr. Adkins encourage people
with concerns to attend public meetings and ask questions directly rather than relying on online comments or
misinformation.
Mr. Adkins said the services a new facility could provide are needed, not just locally, but in other areas.
Sheriff Clark said he researched escapes from jails. In the past decade there have been 17 escapes. This 17 did
not include walkaways from work details, outside assignments, or other situations involving inmates working
outside a facility. The documented escapes were associated with weaknesses such as inadequate or defective
locks, perimeter breaches, surveillance failures, staff assaults, unsecured keys, minimum-security

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housing, and inmate transportation. He noted that modern jail design can reduce these risks through layered
physical security, electronic surveillance, controlled movement, and redundant security system.
Ken “Barron” Seelig asked if the whole 50 acres would be used for this project.
Commissioner Rittenhouse indicated no.
Mr. Seelig said possibly there would be some land left over to put a homeless shelter there or move the Clark
County Dog Warden’s office. He asked, of the $125.7 million to build the jail, how much of that would be spent
through local vendors in the county.
Commissioner Patterson said there are no decisions about cooking on site. The county will look at costs. He said
the additional land would be to expand the jail and other county complexes. The County Commission would
rather keep the money local, but the state of Ohio bidding requirements limits those decisions.
Terri Fraley said she is supportive of a new jail. She asked why and how the location was picked. There are lots
of boys and girls playing soccer and at Splash Zone. She also asked if the old Upper Valley Mall location was
considered.
Mayor Rue said there is an existing business at the mall location.
Ms. Fraley feels it is a bad location even though jail escapes are uncommon.
Sheriff Clark said the thought behind the location is to shield the soccer complex and Splash Zone.
Commissioner Patterson voiced his initial concerns when the site was first mentioned. He then stepped back and
thought of what could be mitigated. The building will be pushed to the north. Splash Zone is only open from
Memorial Day to Labor Day and there will be no connection. He does not support an entrance off of Eagle City
Road, he supports connecting to State Route 72. There would be some issues with any site in Springfield.
Ms. Fraley asked about the screening.
Sheriff Clark discussed there will be natural vegetation screening and no line of site from the inmates to the soccer
field or Splash Zone.
Commissioner Rittenhouse clarified the entrance onto Eagle City Road is only an emergency entrance. It would
be gated and no one would utilize that entrance.
Tabitha Randall said she understands Clark County needs a new jail but questions whether the proposed location
is the best option. She said the site is near family and recreational facilities. She was concerned that the bike path
re-route could affect frequent users. She said the county should protect the area’s peaceful, recreational character
and consider other sites. She asked for clarification about what would happen when inmates are released without
transportation. She discussed the amount of traffic created from employees, attorneys, visitors, law-enforcement,
and deliveries and how this activity could alter the character, traffic patterns, and overall environment of the
surrounding area. She asked officials to find another location for the jail. She said she started a petition a few
days ago opposing this site for the jail. She said she has 250 signatures on the petition. She also asked if the land
has already been purchased.
Mayor Rue said the land has not been purchased. He said the county is moving forward with building a jail, they
just need to find the right location.

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Ms. Randall said she would like answers about the inmates being released.
Sheriff Clark said the release issue has been examined extensively. Although the facility has not yet been built,
the county has a handshake agreement with a transportation provider to take people released from the Clark
County facility anywhere within the county. He added that once someone is released, they are no longer in the
county’s custody and may choose to walk. He said they will strongly encourage everyone to use their own
transportation or the ride the county provides. The only public access point will be on State Route 72, not near
Eagle City Road, the soccer complex or Splash Zone. Released individuals will not be able to use a driveway or
route leading toward those recreational areas. If someone chooses to leave on foot, they will have to go toward
State Route 72, a divided highway that is not suitable for pedestrians. Sheriff Clark said the goal is to ensure that
released individuals leave the site using arranged transportation rather than walking.
Commissioner Patterson said the county selected sites along state routes in part because those roads are designed
to handle higher traffic volumes. State Route 72 already carries substantial traffic, particularly around 3:30 p.m.
when Navistar employees leave work.
He said the traffic associated with the proposed facility would be very small compared with the volume generated
by major employers such as International/Navistar and potentially Roshel. We will still complete a traffic study
as part of the required due diligence, but we expect the facility to have a low traffic impact on a divided state
highway.
Dave Sauter said he is speaking on behalf of the residents in the Terra Cela neighborhood. Though some of his
concerns had already been addressed, he asked how the elimination of park rangers will affect the safety on the
bike path. Another concern is the increase of beds going from the current number to 465 and what is driving that
change. His last question was when the public will be able to review the 30 other sites.
Mayor Rue explained that 30 sites were considered and some of the 30 sites were not at all viable due to issues
like being in a flood plane or not accessible.
Sheriff Clark said it is his understanding that legally the county cannot discuss potential sites. He also explained
that jail population projections were established by DLZ and are intended to meet the county’s needs for the next
30 to 40 years.
Commissioner Patterson said jails are not built to run at 100% capacity. He explained that the jail population
needs to be separated into three groups: people with mental-health needs, people with substance-use needs, and
people accused of serious felonies awaiting trial. Those groups are currently being mixed, which is not best
practice. Ideally, operating around 80% capacity would allow the jail to adjust for changes among those
populations. The goal is not to open a 456-bed jail with every bed filled.
Commissioner Patterson said limited jail space causes people arrested for crimes to be booked and released,
sometimes only to be arrested again later the same night for similar conduct. This constrains judges’ ability to
impose appropriate consequences and undermines public safety. He feels jail capacity is currently the weakest
link in Clark County’s judicial system, while courts and law enforcement are forced to work harder because the
county has not provided sufficient jail capacity.
Sheriff Clark commented that relocation the Sheriff’s office to the proposed site would increase law enforcement
presence in the area.

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Steve Southard recognized the need for a new jail. The residents in Terra Cela have raised concerns about
pedestrian and bike-trail safety near the proposed site, including released individuals, existing homelessness,
commuter traffic, and the nearby recreation areas. He asked the commissioners to carefully evaluate all potential
locations before choosing a site.
Commissioner Patterson added that his daughter works at Splash Zone and he is very aware of the ages of the
kids and the supervision issues there.
Commissioner Wallace noted that the current jail area has year-round youth activity, including the YMCA, the
after-school program, Wittenberg University, Hayward, and evening middle school sports at the dome. He also
commented that people released from the current jail can walk into nearby neighborhoods, including areas used
by local and out of town students, along with the lack of no current ride program when released. Commissioner
Wallace asked Sheriff Clark whether, with appropriate screening, isolation, and facility design, the proposed
location would provide a significant safety improvement for youth, students, and the broader community.
Sheriff Clark said with proper facility design, screening, and isolation it would be a significant upgrade.
Mark Scholl said he appreciates the presentation. Most people are not against the new jail. He asked what
happened to the South 72 site.
Mayor Rue said the 72 South site was connected to the tax levy that did not pass. There was also concerns about
future development opportunities. Residents near that site commented they would be the jail exit. There were also
concerns that it could be future development for housing and it butted up directly to residential backyards.
Mark Scholl mentioned other properties that could be potential sites like the Showboat Theater property on Route
40, east of Bird Road
Mayor Rue said there was another location around there that cannot be mentioned, that had access concerns.
Janet Zornes said she is confused about the 30 potential jail sites considered and asked why the public cannot
access information about them.
Sheriff Clark explained there are laws that prohibits discussing the properties without consent from the property
owners.
Mayor Rue explained the reasons property owners would not want their information publicized.
Ms. Zornes asked if all of the other sites cannot be discussed.
Commissioner Patterson said not all sites are excluded from discussing. He said the county reviewed every
brownfield of 10 acres or more, as well as other possible sites, for the size and roadway access needed for a singlestory jail. He said sites such as Kenton and Birt Streets, and another west-side brownfield were ruled out because
they were in residential areas and lacked practical access to major state routes. .He added that the county has also
made offers and talked with owners of other properties near the city.
Mayor Rue commented that some of the properties were considered and dismissed.
Commissioner Ricketts explained the brownfields could cost millions to remediate.

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Ms. Zornes then asked what use the city originally purchased this site for.
Commissioner Patterson responded that it was for well field protection.
Mark Massie discussed the differences in stats for the current jail and the proposed jail and the decrease in
population since the original jail was built. He asked why this jail needs to be so much larger and if there will be
pay to stay inmates from other jurisdictions
Sheriff Clark said there has been no discussion regarding pay to stay inmates at the new facility.
Commissioner Patterson said it is not his intention to build a new facility to house other county’s inmates.
Mr. Massie said it is difficult to see the city’s many brownfields and more than 4,000 vacant lots while the county
is considering a new jail site. He acknowledged that a jail cannot be built on a small lot and that current officials
inherited many of the city’s challenges. He said crime has worsened as the city has declined and argued that the
county must address it. He supported building a new jail but expressed the importance of addressing crime now.
Mayor Rue stated that if we do not have a place to put people who commit crimes, there will be an increase in
crime over time.
Setys Kelly said she is speaking only for herself, not for a political candidate, campaign, or party. She questioned
the proposal to place a jail at the National Trails site, arguing that the roughly 50-acre area was originally intended
to become a major recreation destination when National Trails was built in 2007. She said the broader recreational
development was never completed and argued that a jail likely would have prevented later investments such as
Splash Zone and soccer facilities. She commented that this history has created distrust in public planning
decisions.
She also voiced concern about financing a jail over roughly 30 years through taxes and argued that nearby
homeowners may move or see their property values decline. She questioned why the new jail would need a
helipad.
Mayor Rue said there is no plan for a helipad.
Ms. Kelly also expressed concern that the courts would move to the new site.
Mayor Rue commented that millions was just spent on the courthouse remodel and a long-term lease was signed
with the Municipal Building.
Ms. Setys questioned whether inmates would be allowed to perform trash pickup near the proposed jail, despite
statements that inmates would not have outdoor yard time. She asked whether work crews would remain on
highways or be permitted in the surrounding area. Ms. Setys supported the treatment programs, medical services,
and a kitchen at the jail, but urged the county to hire locally rather than contract food services to an outside
company. She also questioned the assurance that releases would minimize community impacts. She said people
are released around the clock, and the county cannot control where they go, noting that people do walk along
Route 72. Ms. Kelly asked what federal grants the county would apply for because she does not want her taxes to
increase.
Rex Naegele expressed strong concern about the 660-foot proximity to the nearby homes. He commented that
some people released from jail may be repeat offenders and could enter nearby neighborhoods after

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release. He asked officials to reconsider the proposed site due to fears about safety, children and families, and
potential declines in property values. He suggested a location central in the city.
Mayor Rue asked Mr. Naegele if he would be okay with a .75% sales tax. He stated the reason why the jail is not
going vertical is due to the cost. It is not feasible to stack a jail. He hears their concerns. It is the safest jail they
can build. Mayor Rue said the Sheriff needs better access to the highway than is provided downtown.
Mr. Naegele questioned the new sight being in the northern part of the county and response times to the southern
part of the county and if the county would have to hire more deputies.
Sheriff Clark responded that the benefit of building a horizontal facility is not hiring additional staff and overall
cost to the public.
Commissioner Patterson said Mr. Naegele’s points are well taken. The points are the same as the 72 South site.
Mr. Naegele asked the question about hiring more deputies.
Sheriff Clark said he does not know what his budget will be.
Commissioner Patterson said he does not feel there will be a budget for more deputies.
Mr. Naegele expressed concerns about the city, the local property values dropping, and crime moving into the
neighborhood.
Commissioner Rittenhouse said she has not done an extensive amount of research, but in Warren County the jail
is very close to residential, and the property values are not going down. She is curious about crime downtown.
Mayor Rue said there are events downtown, but the inmates do not get released and walk through the crowd.
Mike Lowe said he supports building a new jail but is still worried about how much the project will cost. He
asked for a clearer breakdown of the expenses and whether more court staff would be needed if the jail holds
more people.
Commissioner Patterson said the larger jail is meant to house people who currently cannot be kept locally because
of overcrowding, so they do not expect a major increase in court cases or staffing needs.
Larry Stevenson said he does not think the proposed location is a good fit because of concerns about neighborhood
safety, property values, children in the area, people being released instead of held in jail, and possible annexation
issues. He also questioned the proposed jail size and how many people are currently being held.
Mayor Rue said some people do need to be in jail, but lack of space means they are sometimes released.
Commissioner Patterson said judges can have someone held when they believe it is necessary, but the jail may
have to release someone accused of a less serious offense to make room.
Cindy Southard asked about the public survey that was sent out in January about a possible jail on the south side.
Commissioner Rittenhouse said the survey was meant to gather public feedback.
Ms. Southard asked if people living near the proposed site would get a separate survey. Southard said she is
worried about people with mental-health issues being released from the jail and walking along State Route 72.
She also raised concerns about the jail being close to neighborhoods, children’s recreation areas, and family

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spaces, as well as possible effects on property values. She said releasing people downtown is different from
releasing them near homes and recreation facilities.
Commissioner Rittenhouse said she is not sure if another survey would go out.
Ms. Southard also asked where bail bond businesses would set up if the jail is built there.
Sheriff Clark said the Sheriff’s office does not control where private bail bond companies choose to locate.
Brad Soles questioned whether the county really needs a jail as large as the one proposed. He suggested narrowing
the list to three or four possible sites and letting the public give input before a final location is chosen.
He said many people in the justice system need help and support services, not just jail time. Mr. Soles also said
some people return to jail because it gives them basic needs like food and shelter. He supported a smaller jail and
said the community should work together on the root causes of crime, mental-health issues, and repeat offenses.
Ms. Rexroth said she is concerned about crime, sentencing, and whether the courts are consistently delivering
justice. She also questioned how useful transportation assistance will be for people leaving the jail, since they are
not required to accept a ride and may choose to walk away from the facility. She raised concerns about added
traffic on State Route 72 and nearby roads.
Mayor Rue said a traffic study will be part of the planning process to identify possible impacts and needed
improvements.
Ms. Rexroth also asked whether security measures, such as Flock safety cameras, would be added around the site.
She said brownfield locations should be looked at more closely, including possible grants to help pay for cleanup
and redevelopment. She ended by saying the county should have planned for a replacement jail years ago and
expressed frustration that the issue was not addressed sooner.
Ms. Ricketts asked whether officials thought the current jail, when it was built in the 1970s, would be large enough
for future needs.
Commissioner Patterson said the jail’s size and design were limited by the funding available at the time. He said
the original plan was to expand the jail later by adding more floors if needed. However, because of the way the
building was designed and its current condition, adding additional levels is no longer practical or possible.
Unidentified audience member #1 asked how people released from the new jail would get where they need to go.
Sheriff Clark said they could use the Field Trips microtransit service for rides within its service area, helping
people get to their destination safely after release.
Unidentified audience member # 2 asked why a jail proposal on the other side of town was stopped and what that
neighborhood did to fight it. They also asked about the petition and what people could do to prevent the jail from
being built in the proposed area.
Unidentified audience member #3 asked about the well-water protection area and whether anything had changed.
They also asked what would happen to the current jail.
Mayor Rue said the current jail would likely be torn down, the Police Department would relocate, and the existing
buildings would be removed.

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Commissioner Patterson said the property could then be sold to a developer, likely with little overall financial
gain or loss. He added that the proposed site would remain under well-water protection rules, including strict
limits on chemical storage to protect groundwater.
Unidentified audience member #4, a short time resident, raised concerns about concrete, salt getting into the
ground, and whether the area is appropriate for development.
Commissioner Patterson encouraged the audience member to stay in Springfield, saying the community is
improving.
Mayor Rue said not providing rehabilitation services would hurt the community more than the proposed facility’s
location.
Unidentified audience member #5 said there have already been a lot of accidents in the area and that traffic is a
major concern.
Motion to Adjourn

Resolution 2026-0010W

Commissioner Patterson moved to adjourn the work session. Commissioner Kaffenbarger seconded the motion.
All were in favor.
The motion carried.

BOARD OF CLARK COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
By: ________________________________________
Sasha L. Rittenhouse, President
I certify that the record is true and accurate:

By: ________________________________________
Charles A. Patterson

__________________________________
Commission Clerk

By: ________________________________________
Greg R. Kaffenbarger