DEFIANCE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2005

The Board of Defiance County Commissioners met in regular session at 8:30 a.m. in the Council Room of Hicksville Village, Hicksville, Ohio on Thursday, March 17, 2005. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Otto L. Nicely. Also present were Commissioners Thomas L. Kime and Richard L. Cromwell; Becky Wagner, Administrator; and Alison Grimes, Clerk. Joan Brown, Deputy Clerk, was present for the Defiance portion of the meeting.

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.

Pat Slattery, Tom Slattery and Cindy Siler, Fairboard members, stopped in to talk to the Commissioners about the Fairgrounds. Pat submitted a hand-drawn map of the Fairgrounds, noting the location of buildings, the race track, grandstand, etc. and the group discussed the need for the replacement of the grandstand.

Mayor Larry Haver, and Jan Heffelfinger, Hicksville-Tribune, also attended this portion of the Commissioners’ meeting.

Commissioners also reviewed a letter from CSX Railroad which stated that R & L Enterprises can hook up additional customers to the rail spur at a later date. The Board hopes this letter will satisfy any concerns R and L Enterprises might have so the Standridge Color Corporation rail spur project may be awarded by the 24^th of this month.

10:05 a.m. Commissioners began the return trip to Defiance.

The Dog Warden’s meeting, scheduled for 10:30 a.m., was cancelled due to time constraints and will be rescheduled.

10:40 a.m. Dennis McKay, Job and Family Services Director, met with the Board in EXECUTIVE SESSION regarding Hiring of Personnel (ORC 121.22 (G) (1)). EXECUTIVE SESSION ended at 10:59 a.m. The Board approved the hiring of the following pending pre-employment screening:

Phyllis Johnson, Social Worker II; Patti Hopkins, promoted to Supervisor of Workforce Development; and Michael Ritz, promoted to Supervisor of Children Services. The latter two are currently employed with Job and Family Services.

11:00 a.m. Megan Browning and Ray Barrish, Jr., Seasongood and Mayer, met with the Board to introduce themselves and reviewed the CCAO Loan Pool program. Sherry Carnahan, Deputy Clerk, replaced Joan Brown for this portion of the meeting. Backed by US Bank, variable and fixed rates are available through this program which would offer notes ranging from 6 months to 20 years and/or bonds. Seasongood is hoping to create a pool of at least $30 million to be available to participating counties. Ms. Browning asked that the Board look

into this program when thinking about future loans. The Board will review the information they received, but did not make any decision at this time.

At 11:35 a.m., the Administrator began her weekly update for the Board where she first reviewed information she learned during the “Trends For Tomorrow” seminar held yesterday at

Defiance College. She also informed the Board that she, Mark Hopper, Public Safety Services and Russ Herman, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, are working on a county vehicle policy. A meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 28 to review the information with the Board.

The group broke at 11:45 a.m. for lunch and reconvened at 1:23 p.m. so Becky could finish her report.

Becky received information from the Auditor, Marlene Goodwin, who informed her that she will be out of her office from March 25 through April 4.

The Family and Children First Steering Committee met Wednesday and Becky reviewed budget information with the Board. Much of their funding will depend on the upcoming fiscal allocations.

The Board approved the purchase of a new mower for the Maintenance department.

She also submitted a copy of the Safety Committee minutes from Tuesday, March 15.

1:30 p.m. A Rails to Trails meeting was held. This program (Ohio Rails To Trails) turns abandoned portions of railroad into usable bike/walking paths. Rick Weaver, Poggemeyer Design Group, also attended as he will be filling out and submitting the application to the Ohio Department of Transportation regarding this project. Potential funding sources and whether ODOT or the County would bid the project were discussed. ODOT will cover 80% of the project’s construction costs; but other sources must be found for the remaining 20% and design engineering expenses. If submitted, the application for this project is due by May 1, 2005 and the County will not know until late summer or early fall whether or not ODOT has approved the project. Money for construction would not be available until July 2007. As this portion of railroad goes into Williams County, the Board has been working with the City of Bryan to create this path. Another meeting will be set up with the City of Bryan before a final decision to go ahead with this project is made.

2:30 p.m. Jean Ziegler, Clerk of Courts, met briefly with the Board regarding her office work schedule. Her office has been swamped with work and requested the okay to work additional hours, when necessary, to begin to catch up. The Board approved the increase in hours; Ms. Ziegler will use her discretion when the additional hours are needed and will keep the Board informed of the additional hours.

There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting adjourned at 3:14 p.m.

Approved for news release: _____________________________

Otto L. Nicely, Commissioner