DEFIANCE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

News Release

Thursday, July 18, 2002

 

OPENING:    

 

The regular meeting of the Board of Defiance County Commissioners was called to order at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 18, 2002, in the Conference Room of the Board of Commissioners, 500 Court Street, Suite A, Defiance, Ohio  43512 by Chairman Otto L. Nicely.

 

PRESENT:                                                                ABSENT:     

 

Otto L. Nicely, Commissioner

Darrell W. Miller, Commissioner – on vacation

Thomas L. Kime, Commissioner   

                       

Becky Wagner, Administrator  

Alison Grimes, Clerk 

D. Joan Brown, Deputy Clerk – on vacation

 

 

A.        APPROVAL OF MINUTES

 

The minutes for the July 15, 2002 meeting were reviewed and unanimously approved as read.

Motion – Tom            Second – Otto

Ø       JOURNAL #130, RESOLUTION #02-07-386

 

B.        RESOLUTIONS

 

The following Resolutions were submitted for consideration and approved:

 

Transfer of Funds #46 – D.A.R.E.

Motion – Otto Second - Tom

Ø       JOURNAL #130, RESOLUTION # 02-07-387

 

Approve Coy Road Bridge Replacement Plans - Engineer

Motion – Tom            Second - Otto

Ø       JOURNAL #130, RESOLUTION # 02-07-388

 

Fuel Price Change #49 - increase

Motion – Otto             Second - Tom

Ø       JOURNAL #130, RESOLUTION # 02-07-389

 

No Purchase Order Request - Various

Motion – Tom            Second - Otto

Ø       JOURNAL #130, RESOLUTION # 02-07-390

 

 

 

 

 

C.                OPEN ISSUES/DISCUSSION

 

Kevin Hancock, Soil and Water Conservation District Technician, stopped in to get signatures on plans for the Dwight Ditch Extension Project #97-14.  The ditch is situated in Section 26 of Delaware Township.  A bid opening has been scheduled for August 1, 9:30 a.m.

 

Commissioners also reviewed and signed the following:

 

Ø      Letter to the One-Stop Training & Employment Center with information about a previous employee, Philip Marinaro.

Ø      Signed two resolutions previously passed: July 15 - Purchase of 2.446 acres on The Bend Road for use by DNR for fishing/boat launch; and: June 27 – Commissioners against removal of one nation under God from Pledge of Allegiance.

Ø      Satisfaction of Mortgage forms for Maumee Valley Planning

Ø      Two Sprint service and equipment agreements – one for $2,684.30 for the Commissioners and one for the Engineer at 139.50

Ø      Vernon Nagel, Inc’s. Change Order #4 for the Joint Watershed Management Flood Control Project (Ditch 40) in the amount of $8,059.50 plus a 60-day extension in completion time.

 

A travel request from the Senior Services Center for Diane Mayer, Tina Hiler and Delinda Chavez to travel to South Bend, Indiana for a Saging Workshop was held until it is determined from which grant line the travel would be paid.

 

Warren Henry, from Pettis, Finkbeiner and Strout, the engineering firm handling the Joint Defiance/Williams County Flood Control Management Project (Ditch 40 project), called and spoke with the Commissioners regarding the Certificate of Substantial Completion.  A punch list still remains – basically clean-up items.  These documents have nothing to do with the additional costs.  The final pay estimate is not yet ready.  It will be prepared when everything is complete.  A final count on the number of trees was a little over 100 at a cost of $260 per tree.  After listening to this information, Otto signed the Certificate of Substantial Completion.     

 

Commissioner Kime observed that, although the minutes from the July 15 meeting were approved, it had not been noted in those minutes that the agreement between Susan Jackson and the County Commissioners was signed that day.   Ms. Jackson had accepted the position of interim Director for Job and Family Services

 

D.        APPOINTMENTS

 

8:30 a.m.        General Session –

 

9:30 a.m.        Becky Wagner, Defiance County Operations Manager, presented her weekly update.  She passed out new Five-County Directories, prepared by Maumee Valley Planning, to the Commissioners and Alison.  The directories provide information provided by Defiance, Fulton, Henry, Paulding and Williams Counties listing county, city and township personnel. 

 

 

 

On Tuesday, she met with Deb Bresnan and Mary Ritter, Job and Family Services, Melissa Sloan and Kathy Koch, Family and Children First Council and Mary Davis and Laura Coressel, Defiance County Health Department, to discuss the billing process for the Help Me Grow program.  Kathy Koch is new to the program and Melissa Sloan also was unaware of portions of the billing.  Becky felt all understood what documentation would be needed for reimbursement purposes.  She asked Melissa to complete one quarter’s documentation, submit the paperwork to Mary Ritter and she will review what is submitted to assure it is correct.

 

Becky had checked into the funding for Sandy Herman’s position (she was Family and Children First Coordinator) and found that the money comes from Family and Children First, but is paid through Job and Family Services.  The Commissioners felt a budget line should be set up for sick/vacation pay to assure enough money is allocated. 

 

Bob Arend requested sever items, which will come from his budget:

 

            He wants to upgrade the wiring between the courthouse and the Commissioners’ offices as it is copper wiring, outdated and is most of the reason why the computers go down during storms.  He would upgrade the wiring to fibre optics at a cost of $4,000.00.  This was approved.

 

Bob would also like to update the tape drive on the web server to it would be compatible with the server at the Auditor’s office.  The cost for this upgrade is $1,030 and it was also approved.  

 

For informational purposes, Mr. Arend has reviewed and updated the offices of the EOC, the Commissioners, the Records Center, the Microfilm Department, Environmental Services, the Humane Agent’s office, the Landfill and the Sheriff’s Office.

 

The Steering Committee reviewing applications for the vacant Family and Children First Coordinator position will meet again on Friday. 

 

Becky noted that only a few items remain to be addressed concerning the Workforce Development MOU (Memorandum of Understanding).  Stan Searing is still gathering information, but Tom felt that he should start implementing some changes.  It was decided that a meeting would first be set with Stan Searing and Susan Jackson regarding the budget and then a meeting will be set where Paulding, Williams and the Defiance County

 

Becky met with Roger Reece and Laura Howell of the City to question them about their safety program.  She gathered information regarding how they implemented their program and asked for any advice they might have.  Roger and Laura felt the City’s Safety Committee was coming along well. 

 

Also, producing a county newsletter was discussed.  It could be done in-house and placed in the employee’s paycheck envelope. 

 

Finally, Becky gave the Commissioners some information on overtime – a total of 5 hours overtime was put in on the last pay period in the departments under the Commissioners.  

 

At 10:17 a.m., Stan Yoder, Agent for the Petitioner concerning the Wertz/Bentley Enterprises annexation and Russ Herman, Defiance County Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, stopped in to see the Commissioners.  Mr. Yoder requested a continuation of the annexation hearing as the City of Defiance had not yet given approval of the agreement.  The hearing was scheduled for Monday, July 22 at 10:30 a.m.  Noble Township Trustees and the City continue to work on an agreement.  Mr. Yoder requested a continuation to August 1 at 1:30 p.m.

 

Approve Continuation of Wertz/Bentley Enterprises Annexation Hearing

Motion – Tom            Second – Otto

Ø       JOURNAL #120, RESOLUTION #02-07-391

 

Mr. Yoder will notify all interested parties of the date change and Clerk Alison Grimes will notify the court reporter that was retained to record the meeting.

 

10:30 a.m.      Bruce Clevenger and Barb Rohrs, Extension Office, presented information on the different programs and activities the Extension Office provides.  As Amy Zirkle, the 4-H coordinator, was absent, Barb presented some of her information.  150 youth attended summer camp at Camp Palmer.  The cost for camp is $100 and scholarships are available.  The youth does not have to be a 4-H member to attend camp. 

 

Barb reminded the Commissioners that August 20 and 21 are County Commissioners days – Wood County is the host.  The Wood County Extension office has activities planned.  CCAO works in conjunction with OSU to plan these activities.

 

Ms. Rohrs noted that she worked with 9 families in parenting classes and also informed the Commissioners that 9 families attended sessions to learn how to establish a family budget, set goals and identify values.

 

The Family Nutrition Program presented 19 educational sessions with approximately 120 participants.  Topics included: Be A Model Mom, Kitchen Safety, Using Less Salt, Have You Fed Your Bones Lately, and Bone Up On Calcium. 

 

Future programs will include a class called Food Safe where she will work with food service managers to improve safety and she will be offering a class to both youth and parents on blended families.

 

Bruce Clevenger reported that during April, May and June, over 175 phone calls or personal visits were made to the county agriculture/natural resources agent.  These calls were requesting information on crop production, pond management and/or farm management.

 

The 2002 class of Master Gardeners have completed their 50 hours of horticultural training.  They have assisted with over 75 phone calls or personal contacts made to the Horticulture Hotline during April, May and June. 

 

Bruce also noted that a pond clinic will be held as pond aeration is a big question.  A program is being started to monitor various ponds before and after an aerator is installed as no one is sure what impact an aerator has on a pond.  What is known is that an aerator assures that

 

aerated water is distributed evenly; an un-aerated pond has an upper layer of oxygenated water, the water at the bottom of the pond is not.  Mr. Clevenger noted that many county residents utilize ponds as their drinking supply. 

 

He attended the livestock permitting and livestock producers meetings which were held in Paulding County.    

 

11:00 p.m.      Mike Williams, Veterans Office Director, met with the Commissioners with an update of services.  He submitted the Annual Activity Report for 2001 for the Commissioners to review.  Financial assistance (utility bills, rent, etc.) were up 12%.  Transportation costs are also up from 2000 – in fact, in 2001, 325 transports were made.  The Veteran’s Office is already at that figure for 2002.  However, the Veteran’s budget is still running within means.

 

60% of what is handled by the Veteran’s Office is disability funding for servicemen, to which they are entitled. 

 

Mr. Williams informed the Commissioners that their staff travels to Hicksville on the last Wednesday of every month and is available from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the Hicksville Village Council Room.

 

The main reason for his meeting was to ask the Commissioners for assistance in purchasing a plaque that would recognize the two Defiance County Medal of Honor recipients – Asa Hagerty and William Knight.  Both men fought during the Civil War.  The marble plaque will be produced by the Veterans Bicentennial Committee at a cost of $1,375.00 and will be presented during the week of Memorial Day, 2003.   Commissioners okayed this purchase and requested that Mike speak to Sherry Carnahan about obtaining a purchase order. 

 

Mike also briefly discussed his budget and noted the $10,000 increase in one line was due to the purchase of American flags.  Mike purchases 18 gross for Memorial Day for veteran’s graves.  Also, as his salary line was in the negative, he was requested to prepare a transfer to return the line to the black.  The Commissioners also told him that a vehicle might become available from the Sheriff’s office for use by his office. 

 

At 11:45 a.m., Commissioners, Becky and Alison went to Charlie’s Down Under for an Elected Officials luncheon/meeting.  In attendance were, Karen Tubbs, Treasurer, Judge Stephen Ruyle, Probate Court, Gaylon Davis, County Engineer, Jeff Strausbaugh, Prosecuting Attorney, Russ Herman, Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Dr, James Preston, County Coroner, Jane Tadsen, County Recorder and Marlene Goodwin, Auditor.  The group agreed to a joint ad to be run in the Crescent-News County Fair insert.   Alison will get costs and collect the money from each Elected Official. 

 

Becky reminded them of the Sexual Harassment training which is scheduled for Wednesday, July 24 at 1:00 p.m.  It will be held in the Public Safety Services facility and all Elected Officials or their designees were urged to attend as it will not only be an effective training session, but by attending, will help decrease the County’s insurance costs.  She also noted that a Safety Committee was being formed.  The committee would meet monthly at first, and then meet every other month. 

 

 

 

The Commissioners discussed the 2003/2004 budget.  As the State will be cutting back funding (approximately $4 billion), the County will need to tighten its belt a little, too.   Hopefully, employees will get a raise in 2003, but 2004 may be questionable.  The Coroner felt that his budget was pretty stable and he kept expenses to a minimum.  The only expense he could not specifically determine was the out-of-county autopsies.  The Auditor noted that she was having a staff meeting to see how telephone costs could be reduced.   

 

 

 

 

Meeting adjourned at 1:00 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Approved for News Release:          ______________________________

Otto L. Nicely, Commissioner