DEFIANCE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2003

NEWS RELEASE

The Board of Defiance County Commissioners met at 8:30 a.m. in the Conference Room of the Board of Commissioners, 500 Court Street, Defiance, Ohio 43512 on Monday, September 29, 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. 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.

10:00 a.m. Gaylon Davis, County Engineer, presented his weekly update. Work on the Bend Road Bridge project is progressing slowly due to the amount of rain received and the height of the river. Mr. Davis passed out the latest Ohio Department of Transportation construction release.

He the reviewed information with the Board regarding House Bill 366 which allows counties to regulate access to county and township roads and to permit the local platting authority to require compliance with those regulations before a parcel of land is subdivided without a plat. Mr. Davis requested a resolution be adopted in favor of the regulations as he feels it would enhance traffic safety, ensure efficient movement of traffic, maintains traffic capacity of the roadways and ensure proper traffic flow while providing access to adjoining property. The Board, by resolution, authorized Gaylon to prepare a draft of the proposed Access Management regulations. The draft will be reviewed by an Advisory Board appointed by the Commissioners. A public hearing will also be scheduled after the draft is presented to the Board of Commissioners.

Gaylon also submitted a draft resolution authorizing the county engineer to use “Force Account” pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Section 5543.19 which allows existing county employees to maintain, repair and construct bridges, roads and culverts in Defiance County during 2003. The Board will review the draft and the Ohio Revised Code section before approving.

Finally, the Board reviewed the meeting held last Friday with Kirk Slusser, ODOT, regarding wetlands mitigation.

He also noted that Clinton Street traffic should be switched to the opposite side, possibly as early as Tuesday. Mr. Davis feels the Hopkins Street project should be complete in approximately two weeks.

10:30 a.m. Richland Township Trustees Otto Meyer, Bruce Colwell and Jim Kile, along with Jerry Hayes, Economic Development Director, met with the Board to discuss the funding received by the Township through enterprise zone agreements. Richland Township would like to take a more active role in the creation of enterprise zone agreements in their township and would not only like to be more involved in the creation of the document, but would like to see

more abatement money coming their way. Mr. Hayes explained how an enterprise zone agreement is created and the sequence of events leading up to obtaining final signatures on the document. Defiance County has uniform enterprise zone agreement guidelines which must be followed. One or two misunderstandings were ironed out and the trustees were told that they will be kept better apprised of upcoming agreements.

11:00 a.m. The Commissioners traveled to the Public Safety Services facility for a Workforce Investment Policy Board meeting. After the meeting they remained to talk with Susan Jackson, Williams County Job and Family Services Director, Dennis McKay, Defiance County Job and Family Services Director and the Williams County Commissioners regarding the area One Stop facility.

3:00 p.m. Jeff Strausbaugh and Russ Herman, County Prosecutor’s office; Judge Steven Ruyle, Probate/Juvenile Judge; Judge John Rohrs, Municipal Court Judge; Judge Joseph Schmenk, Common Pleas Judge; Jim Dennis, CCNO Director and Lorraine Bremer, CCNO Fiscal Manager, met with the Board of Commissioners to discuss bed usage at CCNO. Sheriff Westrick was invited but unable to attend; Deputy Chris Clawson attended in his place. The group reviewed the proposed 2004 budget, which is based on the premise that a 60-bed housing unit would be closed. Current maximum capacity is 642 beds. Defiance County’s bed usage is 65 beds per month and Defiance has been consistently over their allocation. The group met to discuss ways of cutting costs but still continuing to incarcerate serious offenders. The Board will further review and discuss the information gathered at this meeting.

Today’s meeting adjourned at 3:40 p.m.

Approved for news release: _____________________________

Thomas L. Kime, Commissioner