DEFIANCE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

MONDAY, MARCH 7, 2005

The Board of Defiance County Commissioners met in regular session at 8:30 a.m. in the Conference Room of the Board of Defiance County Commissioners, 500 Court Street, Suite A, Defiance, Ohio 43512 on Monday, March 7, 2005. The meeting was called to order by Vice-Chairman Thomas L. Kime. Also present were Commissioners Richard L. Cromwell; Becky Wagner, Administrator; Alison Grimes, Clerk and Joan Brown, Deputy Clerk. Commissioner Otto L. Nicely 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.

10:00 a.m. Mike Boff, Soil and Water Conservation District Technician, met with the Board regarding the Dowe Ditch Project. Russ Herman, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, and Sherry Carnahan, Deputy Clerk, also attended the meeting. The Commissioners had several questions that Mike clarified for them, including drainage benefits, brushing credits and various project costs. The Board will review the information and update Commissioner Nicely on Thursday.

10:30 a.m. Jerry Hayes, Economic Development Director, met with the Board regarding an Enterprise Zone Agreement for Johns-Manville. Also attending the meeting was John Sabol, Plant Manager for JM, Plant #8. The agreement is for the expansion/improvements of Plant #8, on the north side of the facility ($17,200,000), purchasing new inventory ($2,650,000), machinery and equipment ($98,000,000) and adding employees for a project total of $117,850,000. There are currently 323 employees at the Carpenter Road location; 85 full-time employees are expected to be hired. The project will be completed by June, 2007.

Annual donations for the school f\districts will be 31.4% for Northeastern Local School District and 1% for Four County Career Center. Over a 15-year period the donation totals would be $329,201 for Northeastern and $10,473 for Four County.

JM received a 100% tax abatement on personal property for ten years on certain investments and a 100% property tax abatement for a 15 year period.

After review, Commissioners approved the agreement, pending Prosecutor’s approval.

11:00 a.m. Doug Engel, County Safety Committee Chairman, met briefly with the Board regarding several issues discussed during the recent Safety Committee meeting. Mark Hopper, Public Safety Services Coordinator, also attended. Doug, a member of the Confined Space sub-committee, discussed confined space entry issues and the need for additional equipment, yearly training and a county policy to address any situations. The County currently has two sets of confined space entry equipment, but would like to purchase another set. Maintenance, Wastewater and the Engineer’s department have the need to utilize the confined space equipment. Costs for a new set were reviewed. The sub-committee was asked to gather more information from other counties/industries regarding their confined space policy before discussing further with the Board.

Mark and Doug also submitted a list of safety issues for the Board’s review that need to have policies created.

1:30 p.m. Bob Holodnak, Bricker and Eckler, met with the Board to present paperwork for the Board’s signature regarding the YMCA bonding. Stan Yoder, The Law Offices, representing the YMCA, was also in attendance. Commissioners had previously approved the bonding of $700,000 for the construction of gymnasiums at the Y.

There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting adjourned at 3:20 p.m.

Approved for news release: _____________________________

Thomas L. Kime, Commissioner