If you start seeing lots of activity occasionally on Tuesdays at the Commons, it won’t be the result of annual meetings, award ceremonies or artistic performances.
It will be for law and order.
A memorandum of understanding has been created that will allow jury selection for all courts in Bartholomew County to take place inside the Nugent-Custer Performance Hall, on the second floor of the Commons, across Third Street from the courthouse.
The performance hall has more than 8,000 square feet of space – more than sufficient to provide social distancing to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The memorandum between county government, Columbus and the Columbus Parks and Recreation Department, which manages The Commons, has been unanimously approved by the Bartholomew County commissioners.
The cost of renting the performance hall for jury selection, as well as cleaning costs, will amount to $1,050 a day when it is used, commissioners Chairman Carl Lienhoop said.
“This is really a lot of money,” Commissioner Larry Kleinhenz said.
However, county auditor Pia O’Connor says it’s her understanding reimbursement will be provided through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act. The $2.2 trillion federal economic stimulus bill signed into law in March includes $339.8 billion to state and local governments to reimburse them for expenses related to fighting the spread of COVID-19.
For more on this story, see Saturday’s Republic.
