DEFIANCE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2003

NEWS RELEASE

The Board of Defiance County Commissioners met 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 31, 2003. The meeting was called to order by Thomas Kime, Chairman. Present were Commissioners Thomas L. Kime, Otto L. Nicely and Richard L. Cromwell. Also present were Becky Wagner, Operations Manager; Alison Grimes, Clerk, and Joan Brown, Deputy Clerk. Deputy Clerk Sherry Carnahan was present at the 1:30 p.m. and the 3:25 p.m. meetings.

8:30 a.m. General Session – Commissioners approved and signed various resolutions and documents, approved several travel requests, signed two release of mortgage documents for Maumee Valley Planning, reviewed the agenda items and the calendar of events, discussed upcoming meetings and updated information for the calendar of events. Mike Boff, Soil and Water Conservation District Technician, stopped in at this time to obtain the Chairman’s signature on the contract documents for the Platter Creek Ditch Project.

9:45 a.m. Randy Vogel, County Humane Agent, presented a certificate of achievement to Tom Sanders, Deputy Humane Agent, for the rescue of a dog that had fallen through the ice into the river this past February 18. Tom assisted in the rescue of Bonzi, a family pet owned by Mary Lee. Jenny Derringer, of the Crescent-News, took several pictures for publication in the paper.

10:00 a.m. Gaylon Davis, County Engineer, met with the Board to present his weekly update. He reviewed two recent bid awards, Issue II and LTIP Paving and Paving of Various Roads, for the Commissioners. Mr. Davis also requested the bid opening for the Bend Road Bridge Project be changed from Monday, April 7 at 10:00 a.m. to Thursday, April 10 at 10:00 a.m. Gaylon then obtained signatures on paperwork for the Hopkins Street and Clinton Street Bridge repair project. Fully funded by the Federal Aid Program, a new polymer will be used to repair the bridges. Repairs to the Hopkins Street bridge are estimated at $402,900 and $514,850 in various repairs are estimated for the Clinton Street bridge. Much of the work will occur at night and bidding will be scheduled as soon as possible.

Gaylon also noted that the Beerbower Road and Buckskin Road bridge projects are well under way.

10:30 a.m. Members of the Northwest Ethanol Group, Ted Penner and Jim Joost, along with Jerry Hayes, Economic Development Director, Gaylon Davis, County Engineer, Mark Township Trustees Dick Polter and Vern Haase and Russ Herman, County Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, met with the Board for a progress report. They discussed the need for water and discharge lines for the facility. Their idea is to run an intake line and discharge line to and from the Maumee River to the facility location on Rosedale Road and State Route 18. However, several issues must be dealt with before the lines can be installed. The prospective site for the pipes must be checked to assure there is no archaeological significance; also any fresh-water mussels at the river site must be moved. Permitting for the overall facility (air, water, etc.) will be submitted to the EPA by mid-April. Preliminary cost estimates will also be submitted.

Obtaining necessary road right-of-way and funding issues were also discussed. If the project progresses as hoped, the Group is hoping construction will begin before the end of the year.

The Board was in agreement to assist the Ethanol Group if it helps speed up the permitting, right-of-way and funding processes.

1:30 p.m. Morris Murray, Child Support Enforcement Agency Director, met with the Board for an update and to review his department’s lease agreement with the County. Morris discussed various funding streams and his current cash flow regarding lease payments. He will continue to review his cash flow to see what adjustments can and may need to be made.

2:30 p.m. Russ Herman, Chief Assistant County Prosecuting Attorney; Kelley Lowry, Comp Management; and Mark Hopper and Julie Fowler, Public Safety Services, met with the Board in EXECUTIVE SESSION regarding Personnel – compensation of a public employee (ORC 121.22 (G) (2)).

EXECUTIVE SESSION ended at 3:00 p.m. The matter will be turned over to Comp Management and Ms. Lowry will contact the employee with further information.

3:25 p.m. Ken Maag and Otto Gerdeman, Poggemeyer Design Group, met with Russ Herman, Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney and the Board regarding the non-performance of a portion of the Express Sewer project by the contractor.

After Mr. Gerdeman and Mr. Maag left, Commissioners entered EXECUTIVE SESSION at 4:00 p.m. regarding Imminent Litigation (ORC 121.22 (G) (3)).

This EXECUTIVE SESSION ended at 4:10 p.m.

Commissioners decided to request that Poggemeyer contact Lingvai Construction to complete a portion of the project and then have Poggemeyer contact the City to negotiate for reimbursement. A letter will be generated from this office.

Commissioners then entered EXECUTIVE SESSION at 4:10 p.m. regarding Personnel - compensation of a public employee (ORC 121.22 (G) (2)).

This EXECUTIVE SESSION ended at 4:12 p.m.

No decisions were made at this time.

Today’s meeting adjourned at 4:16 p.m.

Approved for news release: _____________________________

Thomas L. Kime, Commissioner