Portune hopeful about Strickland chat

When Gov. Ted Strickland was here last week, he got an earful from commissioner Todd Portune-in a good way. Portune grabbed the Governor’s ear on everything from efforts to get a Findlay Market highway sign, to jail overcrowding. He and Commissioner David Pepper plan to condense some of the county’s objectives into a resolution that would officially ask for the governor’s help.

Among the things Portune and Strickland chatted about were:

• the possibility of housing overflow inmates in jails in Northern Kentucky. Some jails there have extra beds and would rent them for far less than the $55 per bed per day Butler County is charging. However, because of prisoner transport laws, state lawmakers would have to craft an exception to allow Hamilton County to house inmates across state lines.


• the possibility of relaxing of Ohio jail standards. The ones in this state are more strict than in most other states and therefore building and operating jails here is much more costly.


• The Comprehensive Public Safety Plan (the proposed sales-tax funded plan to build a new bigger jail and add new safety programs). Portune said the governor, who has a background in corrections, understands the need for the plan to include rehabilitation programming and other safety measures. “Having the Ohio governor be willing to be a champion on these necessary reforms is a huge benefit to us,” Portune said.


• the Job and Family Services audit. Auditors said the county owes millions because of problems in its JFS department. But the county-hired auditing experts disagree. Portune talked to the governor about the need for more cooperation between the two bodies. “We want the state department to work as a partner with the county JFS,” he said.


• The proposed Banks riverfront development. Portune said there is still “significant interest” at the state level in helping the county with Banks-related projects like a rail line and decking over Fort Washington Way. He said the governor understands how important the project is to the region.


• A highway sign promoting Findlay Market. Portune said the city has applied several times for a highway sign. After Strickland actually saw the place for himself last week, he told his aide to make a note for him to call the proper organizations to get the application looked at again.
  
  Portune is hopeful about the interactions and said allowing the Governor to see projects for himself was very helpful.
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  “These are all things that one or more administrative arms could help us with,” Portune said. “There are specific ways the governor can help. Just to show him what the vision could be and allow him to grasp it and understand and feel it. He knows if we all collaborate we have a much better chance of getting it done.”