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LISBON -- Commissioner Mike Halleck touched on the assault incident that occurred on the second floor of the Columbiana County Courthouse during the commissioners' meeting Wednesday.
"Best wishes to Mr. Boyd and Mr. Thorn who were injured in all this," he said.
He also commented he thought that was the first time something like that happened in all the years he's been in the courthouse.
A defendant who had just been sentenced to a year in prison in county Common Pleas Court for several felony charges, including aggravated assault, was being escorted down the second-floor hallway to the holding cell when he broke the handcuffs, turned around and punched security bailiff Keith Thorn, who fell to the floor, and then ran down the hallway and knocked down security bailiff Steve Boyd, then scrambled down the stairwell with a deputy sheriff in pursuit. He was met by another uniformed deputy sheriff and a sheriff's detective on the first floor and was tased and taken into custody near the front doors of the courthouse.
Both Thorn and Boyd were injured, went to area hospitals and were treated and released. The security bailiffs on the second floor work for the court, while a deputy sheriff is stationed at the front door of the courthouse. At any one time, there can be numerous deputies in the courthouse transporting prisoners or visiting the office to pickup or drop off paperwork.
The defendant was not in custody when he arrived at the courthouse for his hearing. He had been out on bond. He was handcuffed after being sentenced to prison.
In other business, Commissioner Tim Ginter said the moving of records into the new records building has begun, but no date has been set for the opening, which he commented will probably occur in October.
Commissioners declared October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, urging all citizens to learn more about prevention of domestic violence and to show support for organizations and individuals who provide "critical advocacy, services and assistance to victims."
Commissioners authorized an application for a credit card for the Columbiana County Dog Warden through Huntington Bank with a $5,000 limit following the county commissioners' credit card policy. According to the resolution, the card can be used for office supplies and equipment, food expense/meal allowances, transportation expenses for office-related business, gasoline and oil expenses for office-related business, motor vehicle repair and maintenance expenses for office vehicles, lodging expenses and registration fees for office-related business trainings, events, seminars and conferences and computer software and supplies.
Commissioners also approved several resolutions for the county engineer for applications for state and federal funding for 2027, an equal employment policy statement, and to participate in the Ohio Public Works Commission Capital Improvement Program for 2027 for multi-highway paving and Crestview Road paving.
The following permits were approved for Charter/Spectrum for fiber optic lines: Campground Road in Liverpool Township; Rochester Road in Knox Township; Mechanicstown Road in Hanover Township; Lisbon Road in Salem Township; Georgetown Road in Knox Township and in Butler Township and Knox School Road in Knox Township.
In business related to the county Department of Job and Family Services, as recommended by Director Rachel Ketterman, commissioners approved Lori Ramsey of Campbell, Corrina Smith of Salem, Anita Strabala of Hanoverton and Hannah Swigert of East Liverpool as eligibility referral specialists in the public assistance division.
The following DJFS contracts were approved from Oct. 1, 2026 to Sept. 30, 2027 with funding from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families: The Way Station, for GLOW program for teen girls, spending ceiling of $127,181, and Pathways to Independence program, spending ceiling $88,191; Columbiana County Juvenile Court diversion program, spending ceiling $110,469; Columbiana County General Health District, Cribs for Kids program, spending ceiling $49,720, and car seat distribution program, spending ceiling $24,475; Ozer Ministries, domestic/family violence supportive services, spending ceiling $32,479, two parent family support services, spending ceiling $9,240, and domestic violence outreach services, spending ceiling $8,000.
Commissioners were also reminded about the Columbiana County Extension Impact Celebration, starting at 6 p.m. Sept. 24 at the Columbiana County Fairgrounds, Arts and Crafts Building, to recognize outstanding volunteers, youth and community partners in 4-H and for the OSU Extension program and highlight the impact of the extension program.
The next meeting of county commissioners will be 9 a.m. Sept. 23 at the downtown courthouse.