NEWS RELEASE

DEFIANCE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2010

 

The Board of Defiance County Commissioners met in regular session at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, February 25, 2010 in the Conference Room in the Commissioners Office at 500 Court Street, Suite A, Defiance, Ohio 43512.  Chairman James E. Harris, Jr. called the meeting to order.  Also present were Commissioners Thomas L. Kime and Otto L. Nicely, Laura Howell, Administrator, Stephanie Metz, Clerk, and Lanie Miller, Deputy Clerk. 

 

The Commissioners met in General Session and approved and signed various resolutions, contracts and documents.  The Commissioners also reviewed the calendar of events and discussed upcoming meetings.

 

Laura Howell, Administrator, met with the Commissioners to provide her weekly update.

 

Tim Houck, Defiance County Environmental Services Director, met with the Commissioners to provide an update.  Tim provided the following information for the month of January, 2010:  Total Sales - $177,391.02; Total Tons – 5,190.99; Total Cubic Yards – 17,992. 

 

Defiance County Environmental Services is seeking volunteers for our Great American Cleanup™ activities, which will run from March 20, 2010 to May 1st, 2010 – and there are several ways in which your group can participate:

 

• Call Defiance County Environmental Services (419) 782-5442 and select a site to clean up, beautify/improve during the designated timeframe

 

• Join other volunteer groups for the Clean Up Your Park Day effort being planned for Saturday, March 20th, 2010, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The Clean Up Your Park Day event is in its 15th year of community support. Jody Doyle, Defiance City Parks & Recreation Department and Defiance County Environmental Services encourage groups and local citizens to go out (rain, shine, floods or snow) to clean up the area park in their community. This group effort cleans up Kingsbury, Bronson, Diehl, Latty’s Grove, Riverside, Pontiac Parks and the Fort Grounds. Call Jody at (419)-782-6195, Parks Division [Christy] (419)-784-2745, and/or Defiance County Environmental Services [June, Lynn or Tim] (419)-782-5442.

 

• Participate in the State Roadway Cleanup, March 26th and 27th. Adopt a road for a day and pick up the litter. Call 419-782-5442 for more information.

 

Defiance County Environmental & Administrative Services also promotes the Adopt-A-Highway program. This program allows groups, individuals, families, etc. to “adopt” a two mile stretch of County roadway. Roads are available for adoption! If interested or if you want more information, please call 419-782-5442.

 

Julie Rittenhouse, Defiance County Public Safety Services Director, met with the Commissioners to provide a quarterly update.  Julie informed the Board that the FY 2008 State Homeland Security Program Grant in the amount of $55,289.19 was opened in October of 2009.  This was used for Hicksville EMS and Defiance Fire pagers, which have been delivered, and a siren in Sherwood.  FY 2009 SHSP grant is in the amount of $55,971.52; this will be used in Fall 2010 or Spring 2011.  The County received a $2,668.97 refund from BWC because the County’s claims were less than anticipated. 

 

On February 3, 2010 a Medical Surge Exercise was held simulating the set up of an Alternate Care Facility at Defiance College.  The EMA also hosted a Crisis management for School-Based Incidents training through the University of Findlay.  Topics covered were incident planning and preparedness, proactive threat mitigation, incident response and recovery, threat assessment management, vulnerability assessments, incident defusing and debriefing, and parent reunification.  Participants included Defiance County EMA and Sheriff’s Office, School representatives from Defiance and Hicksville, Defiance, Hicksville, Stryker, Van Wert, Edon, Edgerton, Bryan and Kalida Police Departments, State Highway Patrol, Rochester College, Stryker Fire Department and Williams County EMA and Sheriff’s Office.

 

 

 

 Release Approved: ____________________________________________________  

                                                James E. Harris, Jr., Defiance County Commissioner