Probation office to move into former medical arts building

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by Tim Troglen

Reporter

Maple Heights -- A juvenile probation office will open its doors in the former Medical Arts Building on Southgate Park Boulevard this summer.

According to Economic Development Director Leslie Gambosi, a Cuyahoga County Juvenile Probation Office will open in "60 to 90 days" at 21100 Southgate Park Boulevard.

The plans were OK'd last year by the planning and zoning commission.

According to Stuart Boyda, with the Cuyahoga County Central Services Office, the facility will not be used for juvenile detention. Youthful offenders will visit the office to meet with their probation officers and other officials.

"The new office, much like the existing office, is a professional establishment designed to foster a guided transition for the youth of our community," Boyda said. "It's more akin to a business office, very similar to an insurance office or medical practice. In general the environment is friendly, neat and bright.

"A great portion of the work of this office is to go out to the clients to discuss progress and hence most of the work is actually in the community, not in the office," he said.

"Probation officers visit the individuals at home, work and at school and assist with their cases," Boyda said. "There is very little visitation in the actual office, mostly for the first visit when the case is assigned and for the last visit when the case is closed."

He said the new "southeast office" will serve parts of Bedford, Bedford Heights, Garfield Heights, Warrensville Heights, Solon, Orange, Oakwood, Glenwillow and Moreland Hills.

"This office is one of five similar satellite offices established throughout the county," he said.

He said the new office will have 22-25 employees, depending on the case loads of each one.

"This is a relocation of an existing office," Boyda said. "The lease at the current office, 5311 Northfield Road, in Bedford Heights, expired and we needed to construct a new facility to meet Adult with Disabilities Act guidelines"

The office on Northfield will close and be replaced with the new office, Boyda said.

Boyda said the hours of operation for the office will be Monday and Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 7:45 p.m., Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and closed on Saturday and Sunday.

Prior to approval last year by the planning and zoning commission, Chairperson Herticene Taylor said she was worried about the offenders who would visit the office and asked for a list of their offenses.

According to Patrick Murphy, assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor, the offenses were not public knowledge and will not be made public.

And Boyda said there is no reason for residents to worry about the office opening up in the area.

"The individuals who visit are in most cases on their absolute best behavior," Boyda said. "It is either their first visit since going to court so they're uncertain of the programming, it's their first visit since release so they're concerned about being returned or it's their last visit and hence very well behaved."

E-mail: TTroglen@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3165