DEFIANCE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2005

The Board of Defiance County Commissioners met in regular session at 8:30 a.m. in the Conference Room of the Defiance County Commissioners, 500 Court Street, Suite A, Defiance, Ohio 43512 on Thursday, February 24, 2005. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Otto L. Nicely. Also present were Commissioners Thomas L. Kime and Richard L. Cromwell; Alison Grimes, Clerk and Joan Brown, Deputy Clerk. Becky Wagner, Administrator, was absent.

8:30 a.m. General Session 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.

Bids were awarded for the Engineer’s Bituminous Materials Project (Asphalt Materials, Oregon, Ohio) and the Crushed Aggregate Program (various bidders, depending on type and price).

Commissioners also awarded the Defiance County-East building renovations to the following:

General Work – Mel Lanzer Company $1,187,000.00

Napoleon, Ohio

Fire Protection – Shambaugh and Sons $ 32,925.00

Fort Wayne, Indiana

Mechanical Work - Fitzenrider, Inc. $ 243,723.00

Defiance, Ohio

Electrical Work - Woolace Electric $ 483,800.00

Stryker, Ohio

Architect’s estimate was $2,095,000.00. Bids totaled $1,947,448.00.

The Board also reviewed Wednesday’s Soil and Water Conservation District’s Public Hearing concerning residents objections to the Dowe Ditch #98-6 project. Three of four objectors attended the meeting which was held in the Commissioners’ conference room. The Board listened to their concerns and will review the information and inform them of their decision in about thirty days.

9:30 a.m. Karen Tubbs, County Treasurer, Marlene Goodwin, Sharon Scheuerman and Jill Little, County Auditor’s office, Steve Flickinger and Linda Maag, State Auditor’s office, Will Burns, Maumee Valley Planning and Russ Herman, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, met with the Board concerning funding for the R and L Industrial Park and how it will be handled (deposits, withdrawals, tracking, etc.). Also discussed were depository agreements the County has with area banks. Mr. Herman was asked to review the County’s depository agreement to see if a specific depository bank can be set up for this project and submit his opinion. Maumee Valley Planning will be handling the bidding process when the project begins.

10:30 a.m. A Public Hearing concerning the issuance of $700,000 in economic development revenue bonds for funding assistance in the construction of two gymnasiums at the Defiance YMCA was held at this time. Marlene Goodwin and Jill Little, County Auditor’s office, Russ Herman, Assistant County Prosecuting Attorney, Jerry Hayes, Economic Development Director, Bud Williams, Rob Constein and Dave Boyd, State Bank and Trust, Glenn Kuhn, YMCA

Director, Richard Moutelle and Chris Lee, Defiance City Schools and Robert Holodnak, Bricker and Eckler, attended the hearing. Defiance City schools will lease these additions from the Y for use by area students. Total cost of the project is estimated at $2.5 million and paperwork is scheduled to be completed by the week of March 7.

11:00 a.m. Tina Hiler, Senior Services Director, met briefly with the Board to review information she is putting on an appropriation request for Senator DeWine’s office. The appropriations request is for funding in the amount of $840,000.00 to assist in the construction of a new senior center. Information in the request identified their ideal facility as a one storey, 8,000 square foot building with a library/computer lab, craft/exercise area, dining and meal preparation area, storage, reception, office and ample parking. Estimated cost of the project is $1,050,000.00. The Senior Services Center currently serves 34% of the county’s older adult population. Over 6,200 noontime meals are provided monthly and, in addition, the Senior Services Center hosts evening meals and special evening events to encourage participation.

The Board suggested several changes to the request and Tina will submit the request. If approved, funding would not be received until 2006.

At 1:00 p.m., Commissioners attended a Defiance County Planning Commission meeting at Maumee Valley Planning. The River Chase development planning plot was reviewed and several recommendations for changes were made. Storm water drainage issues were discussed and all subdivisions under Planning Commission regulations will be required to submit a storm water plan when submitting subdivision plans. Also, the Roth Final Addition plat was reviewed but was tabled until an answer regarding a sewer is received from Ayersville Water and Sewer. Commissioner Otto Nicely was reelected Chairman to the Planning Commission.

There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting adjourned at 11:36 a.m.

Approved for news release: _____________________________

Otto L. Nicely, Commissioner