Since being sworn in about a year and a half ago, Ironton Municipal Judge Kevin Waldo has been working hard to improve the city’s court.

The court applied for and received an Ohio Courts Technology Initiative grant in the amount of $62,010.10 on April 26.

This will allow upgrades to send cell phone and email notifications in cases, as well as allowing for computer entries of judgments.

The goal is to go paperless and save taxpayers thousands of dollars in certified mailings and other costs.

In other news, the court’s drug court, a specialized docket, has received its initial certification from the Ohio Supreme Court.

Representatives of the state court will visit the city in the fall to observe the drug court’s work and Waldo said he expects them to receive full certification.

In addition to these two developments, the municipal court has seen its probation list reduced drastically and there is a renewed focus on collecting delinquent taxed owed to the city.

Waldo has demonstrated the ability to reform the workings of the court and we commend him for a productive first year on the bench.