NEWS RELEASE

DEFIANCE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2005

 

 

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 November 10, 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.

 

The Commissioners signed the contracts for the R & L Enterprise Industrial Park to begin construction on the infrastructure portion of the project in the cities Industrial Park.

 

The Commissioners approved the hiring of two new employees.  Craig Newberry was hired as a part-time meal route driver to replace an employee that left the Defiance County Senior Center and Stacie Hummel was hired full-time to work for the Maintenance Department to replace an employee who will retire in December.

 

9:30 A.M.     Defiance County Administrator Becky Wagner updated the Commissioners that Fort Defiance will be installing the de-chlorination system at Evergreen Office Complex on Evansport Road this within the week. 

 

Northwest Ohio Education Services will be relocating on December 13th.

 

Becky also reported that Jean Ziegler, Clerk of Courts will meet with the Commissioners about updating their computers and server system in the near future.

 

Becky contacted Dennis Miller of Maumee Valley Planning to find out if all of the paperwork for the Nature Works Grants have been processed.  Dennis indicated that he will contact ODNR to find out if they need any additional information.

 

 

10:30 A.M.    Defiance County Treasurer Karen Tubbs met with the Commissioners to discuss naming of the Bank Depository for Public Funds for Defiance County.  Karen recommended to the Board of Commissioners to designate by resolution Sky Bank as the public depositor of the active checking account and active moneys for Defiance County for the contract period of November 15, 2005 thru November 14, 2009.  Karen used two main criteria to determine who the main depositor would be.  The criteria was the compensating balance required to cover the cost of the fees charged to the account and the interest rate earned on all overnight money including the sweep account and the savings account.  Karen along with the Commissioners would like to thank all of the financial institutions in Defiance County for their proposals.  Every proposal was very competitive and Karen analyzed all of them very carefully.

 

The following Banks are listed as secondary depository banks for Defiance County:  Sky Bank, Key Bank, Hicksville Building & Loan, First Federal Bank, Fifth Third Bank, Hicksville Bank, Farmers and Merchants Bank, and The State Bank & Trust Company.

 

11:00 A.M.    Wastewater Operations Manager Greg Reinhart along with Ken Maag of Poggemeyer Design Group and Tim Smith, representative for the Rolling Hills Community Trailer Park met with the Commissioners in reference to a new flow meter installation.  The Commissioners instructed Mr. Smith that because of the installation, he will need to have the installing company certify and have notarized that the meter was calibrated and installed correctly and that there are no performance problems.

 

Mr. Smith also asked if he could be added to the list of inspections along with the county to have the unit inspected once per year.  The Commissioners asked that Greg Reinhart check into what it would take to accomplish this and report back to them if it would be acceptable

 

1:30 A.M.     Defiance County Auditor Marlene J. Goodwin came in along with Richard Kahle with the Home Builders Association, Dick Hoffman with Appraisal Research, Jerry Hayes with Economic Development and State Representatives Steve Buehrer and Jim Hoops, were in to discuss a proposal to State Legislature to help developers of subdivisions in small communities.  They discussed ways to keep the values of subdivisions at undeveloped values for three years or until a set number of lots are sold.

 

Mr. Kahle indicated that the small communities do not have the same advantage as larger communities and he would also like to see legislation passed not just in communities, but state wide. 

 

2:00 P.M.     Defiance County Senior Services Director came in to have the Commissioners sign Grants for 3-B which consists of all operating expenses excluding nutrition.   Tina indicated that she looked at all of the fund lines and took out the information and referral as well as the Alzheimer’s fund line and added money into the transportation budget line. 

 

Tina told the Commissioners that there are restrictions on the delivery of meals.  She indicated that the Senior Center will deliver 82,300 meals this year which accounts for 17% of the population of Defiance County.  Out of approximately 39,500 persons, 6,731 people qualify for delivered meals. 

 

Tina reported potential grant money would amount to $3.30 with the remainder of the balance being levy monies.  Tina said her staff utilized a new computer program that is capable of breaking down what grants were paying for particular services.  Based on those figures, she and her staff were able to complete the paperwork for the grants they are applying for.

 

The demographic element breakdown amounts to the following:  Age 75 or older – total number served is 770 and the percent of total persons 60 years or older is 60%.  Total number of minority served is 7, below poverty level served is 209, those persons living alone is 517, rural persons served is 1,284 and disable served is 264.  These figures were based on specific geographic locations, such as townships, villages and neighborhoods in which the senior Center targets older persons with the greatest social and economic needs, specific groups to be served and how the need was identified.

 

Approved for news release:          _____________________________

Otto L. Nicely, Commissioner