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Lack of permit slows building move

County annex being filled

The Butler County Human Services Department is not entirely moved in to the new, 57,600-square-foot annex at the government center.

Joyce Ainsworth, director of human services, said that Children and Youth Services, which will occupy the top floor of the annex, has not been able to move in because an occupancy permit was not issued until Thursday morning.

“They’re all packed and waiting,” Ainsworth said.

The building has four levels.

The main level is the third floor that connects to the government center’s first floor via a skywalk.

This level contains Mental Health, Intellectual Disabilities and Early Intervention, Drug and Alcohol and Community Action departments. About 30 people will work there.

So far, this is the only floor that has an occupancy permit.

John Campbell, director of facilities and operations, said that floor received its permit before the other levels because it was compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act before the others. The elevators had to become operational before the county could seek a permit for the other floors.

Campbell said CYS likely could start moving Tuesday.

All of the departments on this level moved in a few weeks ago. Ainsworth said it took about three days to move them.

Drug and Alcohol sees clients in the county offices, and it had to cancel one day of client visits. Besides that, Ainsworth said no other services were affected by the move since they see clients outside of the office.

“There wasn’t really any client impact,” Ainsworth said.

She said the new building has much more space and has made it a lot easier to work.

“It’s very, very, very nice,” Ainsworth said.

The fourth level will contain CYS offices, and about 50 people will work there.

The second floor, which has some machinery, is vacant with room for future office space.

The first floor is a garage with 15 parking spaces for judges and elected officials. The garage also will have a drive-in sally port for inmates to be taken to and from court hearings.

The Department of Community Corrections, encompassing adult and juvenile probation, will be moved to the second floor of the government center. Adult probation currently is in rented space in the city’s tier parking garage.

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