NEWS RELEASE

DEFIANCE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 2008

The Board of Defiance County Commissioners met in regular session at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, January 7, 2008 in the Conference Room in the Commissioners Office at 500 Court Street, Suite A, Defiance, Ohio 43512. Chairman Thomas L. Kime called the meeting to order. Also present was Commissioner Otto L. Nicely and James E. Harris, Jr., Laura Howell, County Administrator, and Joanne Goerlitz, Deputy Clerk.

The Board of Commissioners held their Annual Reorganizational Meeting for 2008. The Board voted to elect Commissioner Thomas L. Kime as Chairman of the Board and Commissioner James E Harris, Jr. as Vice-Chairman of the Board. The regular meetings will be held on Mondays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. until the conclusion of business with the exception of the first Thursday of each month which will be held in the Hicksville Municipal Building, starting at 8:30 a.m.

The staff of U.S. Senator George V. Voinovich will a hold Defiance County Connecting with Communities Session in Defiance County on Thursday, January 17, 2008 between the hours of 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Commissioners’ office located at 500 Court Street, Suite A, Defiance, OH. Senator Voinovich’s staff will be traveling to every county in Ohio this year to meet with constituents and local Elected Officials. Their concerns and ideas will be brought directly back to the Senator.

Russ Herman, Defiance County Assistant Prosecutor, updated the Commissioners on various issues pending at the Prosecutor’s office.

Warren Schlatter, Defiance County Engineer, met with the Board for his weekly update. Warren noted that he is currently in the process of preparing Bids for the Stever Road Bridge Replacement Project and the 2008 County-Wide Arial Photography Project. The Bid openings are scheduled for February 4, 2008. Mr. Schlatter also submitted to the Board 9 bridge projects to be done by Force Account. The projects will be reviewed by the Commissioners and approved at a later date.

Beth Foreman, Help Me Grow Project Director, met with the Board for an update. Beth informed the Board that Early Childhood Screenings are scheduled for Monday, February 25, 2008 at Grace United Methodist Church in Hicksville from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The Defiance screening will be at Zion Lutheran Church on Monday, March 3^rd from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The screenings evaluate gross motor and fine motor skills, hearing, visions, personal and social skills, and speech and language skills.

Cheryl Brown, President of the Defiance County 4-H Horse Council, met with the Commissioners to discuss building a new horse barn at the Fairgrounds or re-roofing the old barn. No decisions were made. The Commissioners will discuss the project further at the Fairboard meeting scheduled for January 15, 2008.

Release Approved: ____________________________________________________

Thomas L. Kime, Defiance County Commissioner