DEFIANCE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 2005

The Board of Defiance County Commissioners met in regular session at 8:30 a.m. in the Hicksville Village Council Room, Hicksville, Ohio on Thursday, January 13, 2004. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Richard L. Cromwell. Also present were Commissioners Thomas L. Kime and Otto L. Nicely; Becky Wagner, Administrator; and Alison Grimes, Clerk. Joan Brown, Deputy Clerk, was present during the Defiance portion of the meeting.

8:30 a.m. General Session

During General Session, Hicksville Mayor Larry Haver, Bruce Guilford, realtor; Matt Gilroy, Defiance County Economic Development; Will Burns, Maumee Valley Planning; Pat Weidenhamer, A and P Tool, Inc.; Tony Nighswander, A and P Tool, Inc.; Jim Schmidt, Jim Schmidt Chevrolet; Tony Primack, Hicksville Bank; Mike Headley, H & W Automotive; A. R. Hilbert, Hicksville Development Corporation; Larry Haver, Mayor of Hicksville and Mel Fahs, Hicksville Hospital Administrator, met with the Board regarding economic development issues. The businessmen of Hicksville wish to continue to promote that area of the County and hope to work more closely with the CIC to retain current business and promote new economic growth. Matt Gilroy, Economic Development and Patti Hopkins, Job and Family Services, will be requested to work more closely with Hicksville businesses. It is likely that a core group of businessmen will form a Board to provide input to the CIC.

Mel Fahs, Hicksville Hospital Administrator, then gave a brief presentation to the Board concerning the hospital facility. The original portions of the hospital were built in 1953 and 1956 and are extremely outdated. A $12 million expansion (to the north end of the facility) is being planned. It is hoped that groundbreaking may begin at the end of this year.

As General Session ran longer than usual, the Board did not return to Defiance until 11:00 a.m. Tim Houck’s 11:00 a.m. meeting was canceled and will be rescheduled. Commissioners approved and signed various resolutions, contracts and documents, approved several travel requests, reviewed the agenda items and the calendar of events, discussed upcoming meetings and updated information for the calendar of events.

It was noted that Defiance County will receive $107,875 from the 2005 Homeland Security grant funding allocations and $28,786 in EMPG funds.

After the Clerk finished, Becky submitted her weekly report for the Board’s review at their leisure.

1:30 p.m. A “Rails to Trails” meeting was held. Attending were: Todd Roth, Bryan City Engineer; John Opdycke, City of Bryan; Rick Weaver, Poggemeyer Design Group; and Dennis Miller, Maumee Valley Planning. Mr. Weaver reviewed grant information as a letter of interest must be completed and submitted to ODOT by February 1 if the counties are interested in pursuing this funding. The application is then due by May 1 and a decision will be received from ODOT in August. ODOT has $11 million available for projects that enhance the transportation experience by improving the cultural, historic, aesthetic and environmental aspects of transportation infrastructure. Funding for the “Rails to Trails” grant covers 80% of construction

costs with a 20% match, but the funding will not be available until 2008 as current funds are already committed. There are other funding sources to which the group may apply to help offset engineering and other miscellaneous costs. The right-of-way for the trail is owned and controlled by the City of Bryan, but this “Rails to Trails” project is one both Williams and Defiance Counties are interested in pursuing. After discussion, the group decided to submit the letter of interest to ODOT. Mr. Weaver will contact ODOT for more specific information and will provide a cost estimate for the group. Another meeting was scheduled for Monday, January 24 in Williams County after the Solid Waste District meeting.

There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting adjourned at 2:41 p.m.

Approved for news release: _____________________________

Otto L. Nicely, Commissioner