NEWS RELEASE

DEFIANCE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

THURSDAY, JULY 13, 2006

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 Thursday, July 13, 2006. Chairman Thomas L. Kime called the meeting to order. Also present were Commissioner’s Richard L. Cromwell, Otto Nicely, County Administrator Becky Wagner, Clerk Lyla Gurwell, and Deputy Clerk Joanne Goerlitz.

General Session – The Commissioners were presented with various resolutions and documents for approval. Commissioners also reviewed agenda items, discussed upcoming meetings and reviewed and updated the calendar of events.

The Commissioners approved award of the Sanitary Sewer bid for the Defiance County Airport. The engineering firm for this project is R.D. Zande and their estimate was $202,743.00. There were two bids received; one from S & S Directional Boring, Bryan, OH in the amount of $194,810.20 and one from R. G. Zachrich from Defiance, OH in the amount of $179,409.27. After review and consideration, the Commissioners approved the award of the project to R. G. Zachrich in the amount of $179,409.27.

The Commissioners also spoke with Kathy Kowal with the Ohio EPA regarding the Draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Proposed Defiance County Wastewater Treatment Plant Project.

The improvements to the wastewater treatment plant/ sanitary sewer collection project is necessary because the county is under the OH EPA Agency findings and orders to correct sanitary sewer collection and treatment problems. Therefore, a Legal Notice appeared in the Crescent News on both May 31 and June 2, 2006 requesting comments from the general public regarding this project. There were no comments received by the June 30^th deadline regarding this project; therefore, the OH EPA will begin finalizing the paperwork for the Finding of No Significant Impact.

Congress has dedicated partial funding for this project through a Special Appropriation in U.S. EPA’s FY-2006 appropriations in the amount of $192,400. The sponsor of this project is the Defiance County Commissioners.

Defiance County Administrator, Becky Wagner met with Commissioners to discuss her weekly report.

Becky reported she received information from Tina Hiler, Defiance County Senior Center Director regarding the Senior Services Auxiliary being formed to assist in fundraising and financial efforts for Defiance County Senior Services.

Since Defiance County Senior Services is a governmental non-profit agency primarily concerned with meals, transportation, wellness programs and educational opportunities, the Defiance County Senior Services Auxiliary will attempt to raise funds to enhance these programs as well as assist in raising money for capitol improvements and building funds.

Becky has also been looking at the regulations for use of the County property. She is working with Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Russ Herman to make some slight revisions to the current policy

Becky also received a report from Family & Children First regarding the Parent Mentoring program. Becky reported the program is being continued with a 6-month contract with NW Ohio Community Action. NOCAC will continue to provide intensive parent education and mentoring to income eligible families in Defiance County. Eight families have received services over the past 6 months.

Becky then reported on the Family Matters Program. This program is run by Four County Family Center and has been successful in Williams and Fulton Counties in diverting out of home placements and reducing the number of times a child re-offends in the Juvenile Justice System.

The Commissioners met with Tim Houck, Environmental Services Director along with attorney Dick Sergeant from Eastman and Smith, James Moseley and James Hamilton both of Mannik & Smith.

Tim discussed the construction expansion at the Defiance County Landfill. Tim is hopeful the permit for expansion will be issued by the end of the summer. Mannik and Smith are beginning the process of preparing the construction bid documents in anticipation of construction of the first 6 acre cell in the spring of 2007.

Tim also discussed the recovery of additional airspace at the landfill. Mannik& Smith, on behalf of the Defiance County Board of Commissioners submitted a change in the normal filling sequence. Do to the recovery of authorized airspace of approximately 5 acres in a previously capped area additional paperwork needed to be completed and submitted to OH EPA to request authorization to use this portion of unused space. Authorization was given by OH EPA to use this area.

News Release Approved: ______________________________________________

Thomas L. Kime, Commissioner