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Tag: Portage County

  • Stark County jail project keeping tens of millions in Stark by hiring local companies

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    CANTON − It’s going to take a lot of manpower to renovate the Stark County Jail, with dozens of subcontractors lined up to work on the two-year project.

    Most of them are based in Stark and nearby counties.

    Over $30 million in contracts was awarded to subcontractors based in Stark County, which is 52.6% of total contract value.

    “We try to always have local participation if we have qualified contracts,” said Max Hassak, senior project manager for Granger, one of the companies serving as construction manager-at risk. “We are fortunate in Stark County to have that many.”

    The construction cost of subcontractor work is $57,297,574, the biggest piece of the $75 million total price tag.

    Construction managers Granger Construction headquartered in Lansing, Michigan, and Welty Building Co. of Fairlawn handled the bid process for the county and awarded bids to subcontractors. A number of factors went into awarding bids, including a prequalification process — which vetted companies on safety, staffing and other issues — and price comparison.

    The Stark County Jail project broke ground in August. The construction involves a massive jail addition and renovation.

    Excavators begin moving dirt at the site of the future employee parking lot to make room for the Stark County Jail addition. August 15, 2025.

    Who are the subcontractors for the jail project?

    While Stark County companies were awarded $30,143,199 in subcontracts on the jail renovation, subcontractors in nearby Ohio counties received $11,114,107 and out-of-state contractors are getting $16,040,268.

    The highest value contract — nearly $12 million for detention equipment and security electronics — is going to Pauly Jail Building Co. based in Hamilton County, Indiana. According to the project team, there are just three qualified subcontractors in the U.S. for the specialized jail equipment, and none are based in Ohio.

    “Some of the contractors for detention equipment and things like that have to come from only a few sources in the United States that are not local,” said Margie Ramsey, Granger regional director of Ohio.

    Nine of the 26 construction subcontractors are based in Stark County. One of them, Standard Plumbing & Heating Co., is involved in two contracts for project work.

    County officials were impressed by that number.

    “It’s a testament to the quality of the workforce and the owners that we have here,” county Commissioner Alan Harold said.

    Eleven other subcontractors are based in nearby Ohio counties.

    The list of subcontractors was made public in July, when the county commissioners approved the guaranteed maximum price of construction.

    Rendering of the Stark County jail renovation. The $75 million project calls for a new pod-style housing unit to replace existing linear cell blocks.

    Rendering of the Stark County jail renovation. The $75 million project calls for a new pod-style housing unit to replace existing linear cell blocks.

    Construction on Stark County Jail to last two years

    Work on the jail project began with earthwork and excavating on the site of the future employee parking lot.

    The renovation is expected to be complete by the end of January 2028.

    Plans for the renovation include the addition of a four-story, clover-leaf shaped housing unit which will replace aging linear cellblocks built in the 1960s.

    The new housing unit will have 24 beds for people with acute mental health needs, and another 144 for regular mental health needs, 96 medium security beds and 48 maximum security beds.

    Other plans for the project include renovations to the jail’s kitchen and clinic.

    Reach Grace at 330-580-8364 or gspringer@gannett.com. Follow her on X @GraceSpringer16.

    Stark County Jail subcontractors

    Here are the subcontractors involved in the Stark County Jail project, including their county, type of contract and cost:

    ∎ Pauly Jail Building Co. Inc. of Hamilton, Indiana: detention equipment and security electronics, $11,973,600

    ∎ Beaver Constructors Inc. of Stark County: masonry, $8,709,753

    ∎ Standard Plumbing & Heating Co. of Stark County: HVAC and controls, $6,494,100

    ∎ Abbott Electric Inc. of Stark County: electrical work, $5,502,083

    ∎ Standard Plumbing & Heating Co. of Stark County: plumbing, $4,088,500

    ∎ Forest City Erectors of Summit County: structural and miscellaneous steel, $2,905,080

    ∎ Tycor Roofing of Stark County: roofing and sheet metal, $2,174,599

    ∎ DiPietro Excavating Inc. of Stark County: earthwork and site utilities, $1,691,018

    ∎ Williams Concrete Construction Co. of Summit County: concrete, $1,568,970

    ∎ Granger Construction of Ingham, Michigan: general requirements, $1,527,677

    ∎ Competitive Interiors Inc. of Portage County: general trades, $1,414,170

    ∎ Singer Ashland of Harford County, Maryland: food service equipment, $1,251,266

    ∎ Mack Concrete Industries of Medina County: precast concrete, $1,127,000

    ∎ Yerman & Young Painting Inc. of Summit County: painting, $931,347

    ∎ Sitetech Inc. of Lorain County: demolition, $772,971

    ∎ Coon Restoration of Stark County: caulking and joint sealants, $695,288

    ∎ Prime Coat Coating Systems of Lake County, Illinois: resinous flooring, $667,570

    ∎ Competitive Interiors Inc. of Portage County: metal studs, drywall and acoustical ceilings, $605,250

    ∎ Firefoe Corp. of Trumbull County: fire suppression, $523,750

    ∎ HEPA Environmental Services Inc. of Portage County: abatement, $483,520

    ∎ Bidar Construction Co. of Cuyahoga County: applied fireproofing, $391,551

    ∎ TK Elevator Corp. of Fulton County Georgia: elevators, $369,155

    ∎ Northstar Asphalt Inc. of Stark County: asphalt paving, $365,165

    ∎ CNC Foundations Inc. of St. Clair, Illinois: rammed aggregate piers, $251,000

    ∎ Youngstown Tile & Terrazzo Co. Inc. of Mahoning County: resilient flooring, carpet and hard tile, $248,737

    ∎ Rice’s Landscapes Redefined of Stark County: landscaping, $227,793

    ∎ Southway Fence Co. of Stark County: fencing, $194,900

    ∎ Action Door of Cuyahoga County: overhead coiling doors, $141,761

    Source: Stark County commissioners

    This article originally appeared on The Repository: Stark County jail project involves many Northeast Ohio companies

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  • Police Chiefs Sue Portage County Sheriff for Chunk of Drug Task Force Seizure Money

    Police Chiefs Sue Portage County Sheriff for Chunk of Drug Task Force Seizure Money

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    click to enlarge

    Portage County Sheriff’s Department/FB

    The largest cities in Portage County have filed a lawsuit alleging the county and its sheriff have refused to share seized money and assets from a defunct drug task force.

    The case lays bare a strained relationship between local and county officials who once worked as a team with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency to disrupt the flow and sale of illegal drugs.

    With discovery underway, a pre-trial conference is set for March 8 in a case filed by the cities of Kent, Ravenna and Streetsboro in the Portage County Court of Common Pleas. The cities are asking retired Judge Janet R. Burnside to force Sheriff Bruce Zuchowski to account for and share the equipment, property and funds left over when the sheriff allegedly pulled his deputies out of the Portage County Drug Task Force. It is unclear how much money and what assets are at stake.

    In November 2021, after less than a year on the job, Zuchowski met with partners on the task force, which included the city of Aurora and the village of Hiram. Zuchowski told the chiefs he would no longer participate, according to the complaint. County Prosecutor Victor V. Vigluicci, representing the sheriff in court, denies that claim but admits that the assets exist.

    Established at the height of the opioid epidemic by Zuchowski’s predecessor, the task force ramped up the seizure of heroin, marijuana and other narcotics. Local police departments now dedicate detectives to work with neighboring jurisdictions and the DEA on drug cases.

    This article was published in partnership with The Marshall Project, a nonprofit news organization covering the U.S. criminal justice system. Sign up for their newsletters, and follow them on Instagram, TikTok, Reddit and Facebook.



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    Doug Livingston, The Marshall Project – Cleveland

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