Monday, 16 March 2020 12:52

Coronavirus: Summit County-Public Access Changes Featured

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Summit County is making Coronavirus-related changes to they do business, including temporary suspension of public access to many of their agencies including Building Standards, Clerk of Courts, County Prosecutor, and Sheriff's Office. See below for full list, and more details.

March 16 Updates to Summit County Continuity of Services

SUMMIT COUNTY, OHIO—The following offices and agencies have offered updated guidance as to how the public should expect to interact in the coming days and weeks. Guidance is subject to change. Some county offices have temporarily suspended public access. Information for cities, villages and townships offices has also been included.

Building Standards: Beginning Monday, March 16, 2020 at 12 p.m., Summit County Department of Building Standards will temporarily suspend public access at the 1030 E. Tallmadge Ave. location. The office will continue to accept permit requests, inspection requests, and plan submittals through www.BSAonline.com, mail or email. If you currently have access to BSAonline.com as a registered contractor, continue using this option for applying for permits and scheduling inspections. If you are applying for a permit, scheduling inspections or submitting plans, with no access to BS&A, please complete the proper forms located on our Building Standards website, www.buildingstandards.summitoh.net. You may mail the completed forms into our office, or email documents to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Payments can be made through the Official Payments website, https://www.officialpayments.com/, as we will only be taking Credit Card payments at this time.

Board of Elections: Polls will be open on March 17 from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Some polling locations have changed. Information about the 10 polling locations that moved can be found at https://www.summitcountyboe.gov/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/3.10.2020-press-release-polling-locations-moved.pdf.

Job and Family Services: Beginning March 16 at 12 p.m., Summit County Department of Job and Family Services (JFS) will temporarily suspend public access at the 1180 S. Main St. and 1040 E. Tallmadge Ave. locations. Documents and correspondence can be uploaded at www.summitdjfs.org, faxed to 866-351-8292, dropped in the exterior drop box at the S. Main location, or mailed to 1180 S Main St, Suite 102, Akron OH 44301-1256.
To apply for, renew or update cash, food, medical or child care assistance, call 1-844-640-6446 or apply online at www.Benefits.Ohio.gov. To report abuse, neglect or exploitation of seniors, please call 330-643-7217.

Community Development: As of March 16, Home Weatherization Program, Lead Remediation Program, HSTS (septic replacement program), and Minor Home Repair Program work has been rescheduled.

Sanitary Sewer Services: Beginning March 16 at 12 p.m., Sanitary Sewer Services will temporarily suspend public access. Residents can pay their sewer bill online at https://summitoh.firstbilling.com/ or use the drop box location at 1180 S. Main St in Akron. Only checks may be deposited in the drop box. In case of an emergency, staff can be reached 24 hours a day at 800-828-2087.

Animal Control: Beginning March 16 at 12 p.m., Animal Control will temporarily suspend public access. Volunteer services are suspended until further notice. Until public access has been restored, only law enforcement will be able to make drops off at Animal Control. Members of the public who wish to be reunited with their animal should call 330-643-2845 to schedule an appointment.

Clerk of Courts: Services will restricted starting Monday March 16 at noon in the interest of public health. E-Filing and online public record requests will continue as normal. The Clerk’s Courthouse lobby will close; the only exception to this closure is for the filing of protection orders. Processing of background checks is suspended until further notice. Pro se litigants are encouraged to utilize our electronic filing system or mail in their filings to our office at 205 S. High St., Akron, OH 44308. Title offices in Akron, Green, Fairlawn, and Northfield will close until further notice. Dealer title work can be submitted electronically or the title work can be dropped off at the Main Title office and picked up the following day. For the public, customers who have title processing needs, please call the Main Title office at 330-630-7200 to facilitate processing title by mail. Call 330-643-2212 for more information.

Engineer: Person-to-person interactions will be limited at the main administration building located at 538 East South Street in Akron and the public services administration office located at 601 East Crosier Street in Akron, and the Boston Mills Station located at 1928 Boston Mills Road in Boston Township. All non-essential meetings are cancelled. Citizens, contractors, and developers are asked to conduct their business with the County Engineer’s Office through phone (330-643-2860), fax (330-762-7829), and email (general information email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) where possible. A drop off area will be established in the lobby of the main administration building at 538 East South Street for any consultants, contractors or developers needing to hand deliver plans and permits to the office. Road maintenance crews and construction and bridge inspectors will continue to operate as normal, keeping County roads and bridges safe for motorists. More information is available at http://www.summitengineer.net/.

Fiscal: Beginning March 16 at 12 p.m., public access is suspended at the main branch at 175 S. Main St. in downtown Akron, and two satellite locations at 1030 E. Tallmadge Ave., Akron and 1180 S. Main St., Suite 250, Akron. The public may access Fiscal Office services by phone at 330-643-2632 or 330-643-2759, email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or online at http://FiscalOffice.summitoh.net.

Sheriff: If the public has questions for the Sheriff’s Office, they should call the non-emergency dispatch number at 330-643-2181. A number of services at the jail have been suspended or altered, including contact visits. Please call for more information.

Prosecutor: Residents with urgent and specific questions about their case and any subsequent hearings should email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and include the following details: Name, Case #, Judge, Date of Next Hearing, Contact Information. More information is available at http://co.summitoh.net/prosecutor/.

Child Support Enforcement Agency: Payments can be made online, by phone, mail or mobile app. Parents and caretakers can access their case information, including payment status and payment history, through the state of Ohio’s Child Support Customer Service Portal. More information is available at http://co.summitoh.net/prosecutor/index.php/divisions/child-support-enforcement, and you can email them, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Common Pleas Court: All trials are suspended through March 27, with the exception of Stanley Ford. Inmates will not be transported from the Summit County Jail to the courthouse for fourteen days. All civil matters will be handled through telephone or video calls, and all mediation sessions will be suspended. People on probation who are scheduled to report should do so via telephone, and should expect to be contacted by the Summit County Adult Probation Department. More information is available at https://www.summitcpcourt.net/summit-county-common-pleas-court-general-division-outlines-plan-for-addressing-covid-19/.

Domestic Relations Court: Remember the Children on March 21 and Working Together Program on March 26 have been cancelled. The Court will conduct certain business such as Initial Pretrial Conferences, Settlement Conferences, Motions for Temporary Orders by telephone only. Special arrangements can be made for Uncontested Divorce and Dissolution. More information is available at https://drcourt.org/wp/covid19/.

Juvenile Court: Court hours are modified to 8:00 am-4:30 pm. The preferred method of filing pleadings with the Court is via mail to 650 Dan Street, Akron 44310 or via fax to 330-643-2987. The Public is encouraged to contact their Court Worker with questions. If a person is unsure of who to call, they can call the Juvenile Court main number at 330-643-2900. More information is available at https://juvenilecourt.summitoh.net/images/Press/web.pdf.

Probate Court: Consider utilizing the eFiling option which can be used for any filing. Many court appearances can be changed to telephone statuses. If you are set for a status, please contact the Court to change it to a phone status. More information is available at https://summitohioprobate.com/coronavirus-covid-19/.

Ninth District Court of Appeals: The Court will consider all cases on the briefs instead of hearing oral arguments. The Court will file orders in cases that are scheduled for oral argument alerting the parties that the cases will be considered by the Court on the briefs. If a party objects to the submission on briefs, the Court will either schedule telephonic oral argument or continue the case for oral argument at a later date. More information is available at http://www.ninth.courts.state.oh.us/Forms/Covid%20notice.pdf.

Developmental Disabilities Board: Staff are encouraged to coordinate phone meetings and video conferencing in place of in-person meetings and visits. Staff will continue to monitor services, offer technical support, conduct compliance reviews as needed and investigate any Major Unusual Incidents. More information is available at https://www.summitdd.org/news/summit-dd-coronavirus-safety-precautions-and-health-measures/.

Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board: Residents feeling overwhelmed or troubled by the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak or any situation requiring emotional support should call 330-434-9144.

Children Services Board: The Child Abuse Prevention Month events and activities previously scheduled during the month of April are cancelled. Training events sponsored by the Northeast Ohio Regional Training Center are canceled through April 18th. Volunteer programs and ability to accept donations in our lobby have been suspended for a minimum of 30 days, including the Easter Basket Program. More information is available at https://www.summitkids.org/.

Veterans Service Commission: A series of new processes and procedures to help ensure the wellbeing of the community and staff are in place. Any scheduled public meetings in Freedom Hall have been cancelled until further notice. More information is available at https://www.vscsummitoh.us/covid-19-statement/.

Direction Home Akron Canton: There have been no significant changes to processes and procedures. All programs continue to provide services, and telephonic systems are being developed by the Ohio Departments of Aging and Medicaid to reduce face to face contacts.

United Way 2-1-1: Residents in need of food, shelter, utility assistance or other necessities should call 2-1-1 or visit http://www.211summit.org/. Support the community through the Akron Summit County COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund. Donate at http://bit.ly/2Qdze8s; 100% of donations will go toward crisis relief.

Coventry Township:(Trustees/Fiscal): 330-644-0785, ext. 690 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Zoning: 330-644-0785, ext. 695 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Road: 330-644-0785, ext. 680 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Fire: 330-644-3228 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Dial 9-1-1 emergencies.

All Summit County offices are working closely with the Public Health Department in monitoring the ongoing COVID-19 situation. The continuity of services is subject to directives from the Governor and Summit County Public Health. For the most up-to-date information on the current status of the outbreak, please visit https://www.scph.org/covid-19 or https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/.

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