The courthouse drama may be stalled, but that’s not the only thing stuck in limbo. When it comes to Scioto County’s economic future, even the meetings aren’t showing up.
🚨 Last week, commissioners expressed hope that the Southern Ohio Port Authority (SOPA) was finally back on track. The agency—crippled after the Robert Horton corruption scandal—posted a fresh meeting schedule on Facebook, promising to gather on July 21, August 18, September 15, October 20, November 17, and December 15 at their Court Street office.
Sounds promising, right? Except when we went to cover it—no one was there.
👀 WE WERE THERE
SCDN sent a reporter to the 502 Court Street offices on August 18, ready to livestream the public meeting. Our reporter arrived at 5:30 p.m. and stayed past six. The building was locked. The lights were off. Nobody showed.
Even stranger? There was no cancellation notice on the SOPA Facebook page.
Our reporter reached out to Scioto County Commissioner Scottie Powell who said the meeting was cancelled and it was advertised in the media. However, there was no mention on the organization’s Facebook page, no press release sent to SCDN, and the link to the SOPA webpage on their FB page takes you to nothing.
💼 WHY IT MATTERS
This no-show only deepens the uncertainty around Scioto County’s economic development. With no director in place and the Horton trial dragging on—with yet another status conference now pushed back to September 16 instead of a trial—residents and developers alike are left wondering who, if anyone, is steering the ship.
The much-talked-about “John and Jane Doe” co-conspirators remain a mystery, the county’s development plans remain on hold, and now, apparently, even scheduled meetings can’t be relied on.
📉 BOTTOM LINE:
The Horton scandal has already left Scioto County’s future in limbo. Now, with no trial date, no director, and no-show meetings, the county’s hopes for a reboot feel more uncertain than ever.
