NEWS RELEASE

DEFIANCE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2005

The Board of Defiance County Commissioners met in regular session at 8:30 a.m. in the Conference Room at the Hicksville Village Council Room, 112 South Main Street, Hicksville, Ohio 43526 on Thursday, September 1, 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; Lyla Gurwell, Clerk, and Joanne Goerlitz, Deputy Clerk.

8:30 A.M. General Session Clerk, Lyla Gurwell presented various resolutions, contracts and documents for approval of the Commissioners. Commissioners also approved several travel requests, reviewed the agenda items and the calendar of events, discussed upcoming meetings and updated information for the calendar of events.

Jane Tadsen, Defiance County Recorder reported during the month of August 2005, the total instruments are as follows: Deeds -191, Mortgages – 319, Releases – 289, Plats – 1. The total for the month of August 2005 is $40,781.90. The Housing Trust was $20,662.20 for the general Fund.

Defiance County Engineer Warren Schlatter recommended award of the Bid for the Breininger Road Bridge project. The project was awarded to R.G. Zachrich, Defiance, OH with a bid of 338,263. The Engineers estimate was $308,763.75.

The Award for the 2005-2006 Road Salt Bid was awarded to Morton Salt from Chicago, IL with a bid of $43.56 per ton delivered.

10:00: A.M. Becky Wagner, Administrator, presented the following for the Board’s review:

Reported Pastor Keith Hunsinger, Pastor of St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church and Defiance County’s volunteer Chaplain has resigned and will be accepting a new position in Oak Harbor, OH beginning October 1, 2005. The Commissioners would like to thank Pastor Hunsinger for his willingness to help Defiance County with their spiritual needs and want to wish him well on his new calling.

Strable Paving, Inc located in Cecil, OH who submitted a bid for $7,515 began sealing the Parking Lot at the Evergreen Office Complex on August 30, 2005.

Becky updated the Commissioners regarding the progress at the Defiance County East Office Complex. A meeting was held with various department heads to discuss tentative moving dates which could begin mid-September.

Becky also viewed the work completed at the disbanded Christy Meadows Treatment site and reported that it has been seeded.

11:00 A.M. John Horns, with Defiance Regional Medical Center spoke with Commissioners this morning regarding a new Hanger at the Defiance County Airport. The Commissioners also reviewed the cost of the wastewater project with Mr. Horns.

11:30 A.M. Dennis Miller of Maumee Valley Planning came in to discuss the Community Block Grant Program. The Commissioner’s applied for an extension on the Standridge Project.

Defiance County Commissioners request reimbursement of $111,327 for the force main and pump station construction for the Enterprise Industrial Park. This is the first request for reimbursement by the County.

1:30 P.M. The Commissioners attended the English Ditch Hearing at Soil & Water. The Commissioners are waiting for a recommendation from Soil & Water Board as to whether or not to proceed with this project.

In other business, the Defiance County Board of Commissioners would like to invite everyone out to the Gordon Creek Fall Festival to be held September 23-25, 2005 at the Defiance County Fairgrounds. There will be local bands and other entertainment such as garden tractor races, tractor pulls, a demolition derby, open class horse and goat show, and craft sales. Camping will also be available Thursday, September 22 – Sunday, September 25, 2005.

Approved for news release: _____________________________

Otto L. Nicely, Commissioner