DEFIANCE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

MONDAY, AUGUST 25, 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, August 25, 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 was Becky Wagner, Administrator, Alison Grimes, Clerk and Joan Brown, Deputy Clerk.

8:30 a.m. Herb Helsel, Four County ADAMhS Board, met briefly with the Board to review finances. He reminded the Board of the upcoming ADAMhS Board 25^th Anniversary Banquet, Thursday, September 25 at the Heritage Inn, Sauder’s, Archbold.

Their 2004 budget is projected to be under 5% of the 2003 budget. Mr. Helsel discussed various costs critical to program recipients (medications, health care, Medicaid services). He also noted that, although more programs have been assigned, current employees are handling it and, unlike other ADAMhS Boards, their staff has not increased due to the additional work load. It is more challenging every year to keep costs down, but still provide quality services to program recipients.

9:00 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.

Commissioners received written notification from ProMedica stating, in principal, their acceptance of all open issues related to the Donation Agreement. The Board agreed to send a real estate purchase and sales agreement, upon final approval of the County’s Prosecuting Attorney, to the City.

10:00 a.m. Gaylon Davis, County Engineer, presented his weekly update at this time. He submitted a Change Order from Fort Defiance Construction for the Williams/Defiance County Line Road Superstructure Replacement Project for an overall increase of $5,226.50. The cost covers additional guardrail, asphalt, seeding and mulching and pier cap adjustment plates.

Mr. Davis also submitted the latest ODOT construction schedule for Defiance County and reviewed current and upcoming projects through the Engineer’s department. The Bend Road Project is finally moving along well, now that the weather has cleared. Seal coating should begin next week.

10:30 a.m. The Mark Township Trustees, Vernon Haase, Peter Kennerk and Richard Polter, and Clerk Thelma Bassett met with the Board, Russ Herman, Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, and Gaylon Davis and Warren Schlatter, Engineer’s office, regarding Vreba Hoff Dairy and Breininger Road. This was a continuation of a meeting held Monday, August 11.

The weight of dairy trucks is causing Breininger Road to deteriorate and repairs, widening and additional support has become necessary. At the previous meeting, Gaylon was asked to provide more accurate figures for road repairs. The group reviewed the figures, discussed various options and had several questions regarding the repairs. Financing the project was also discussed. The Dairy can assist in financing, but cannot pay for the whole project, which is

estimated to cost, depending on the option choices, from $85,000 up to $416,000. The project will not begin until 2004, once options are chosen and funding sources are found.

The Engineer’s office will review and submit more detailed information, showing finalized figures and funding amounts and will meet with the Trustees and Russ Herman at their next township meeting.

11:00 a.m. Olivia Binkley, Rural Development, met with the Board regarding the Indian Bridge Lane Project. Also attending were Ken Maag, Poggemeyer Design Group, Marlene Goodwin, Sharon Scheuerman, Jill Little and Barb Lasek, Auditor’s office, Russ Herman, Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney and Sherry Carnahan, Deputy Clerk. The group reviewed the requirements on the letter of conditions for this project.

1:30 p.m. Tim Houck, Landfill Manager, along with Dick Sargeant and Kim Baker, Eastman and Smith and Jim Adams and James Moseley, Mannik and Smith Group, met with the Board regarding the County Landfill. The life expectancy of the existing landfill is up in February 2005. If the County is to continue running the Landfill, decisions must be made shortly concerning it’s expansion. Dick Sargeant of Eastman and Smith provided a PowerPoint presentation regarding the proposed expansion of the County Landfill and reviewed the different types of permits, forms and other documentation, and EPA requirements necessary for submittal for the continuation and expansion of the facility. Expanding the facility can add more than 100 years of life expectancy.

Nine years ago, when the County took over the Landfill, it was $2 million in debt and had no employees. Within five years of assuming the operation of the facility, the Landfill’s debt was paid off. Now, nine years later, the Landfill is, and has been, operating in the black. Expanding the Landfill would be economically beneficial to the County and the residents utilizing it. The Defiance County Landfill offers the lowest waste rates in the area.

Jim Adams of Mannik and Smith Group reviewed the Expansion PTI (Permit To Install) timeline and talked about items that need to be completed before the expansion begins (separatory liner design and liner and final cover issues, gas extraction system).

Kim Baker, Eastman and Smith, reviewed anticipated waste volume, revenue, and expenses for the project.

James Mossony, Mannik and Smith Group, reviewed construction costs, final cover and closure/post closure costs, broken down per acre.

After the presentation, the Board informed Tim to proceed with the expansion.

Today’s meeting adjourned at 3:58 p.m.

Approved for news release: _____________________________

Thomas L. Kime, Commissioner