DEFIANCE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
THURSDAY, DECEMBER
5, 2002
NEWS RELEASE
The Board of Defiance County Commissioners
met at 8:30 a.m. in the Hicksville
Village Council Room, Hicksville, Ohio
on Thursday, December 05, 2002. The meeting was called to order by Thomas
Kime, Vice-Chair. Present were Richard
Cromwell, Commissioner, Becky Wagner, County
Administrator and Alison Grimes,
Clerk. Commissioner Otto Nicely was
attending a 911 Communications Board meeting in Defiance.
Also present at the Hicksville session
was Peter Greer, Hicksville News-Tribune correspondent.
Various Resolutions were presented to the Commissioners for
their review and approval and Thursday’s agenda was reviewed. Commissioners and staff began the return to Defiance
at approximately 9:30 a.m. where the
session continued.
In Defiance, Commissioners discussed fiscal security for
county government. For many important
government services counties are entrusted to implement state policy at the
local level. Counties are the primary
agents of the state in administering justice and prosecuting criminals;
providing health and human services to needy citizens; managing the property
tax system; improving infrastructure to foster economic development; and
providing a myriad of other important government services to improve the
quality of life for all Ohioans.
In order for counties to succeed in implementing state
policy and delivering needed services, many of which are mandated by state law,
county government needs both flexibility and state financial assistance. Because county commissioners lack the
discretion to terminate or modify programs required by law and have limited
revenue options, county commissioners are caught between the obligation to
balance the budget and fund the demands of elected officials, agencies, and
courts made in order for them to perform their required duties. The General Assembly and the Administration
need to consider the fiscal impact of legislation that establishes or modifies
state policy initiatives.
The cornerstone of the state/county Partnership must be
firmly anchored by a commitment to county government fiscal security. The major elements of a fiscal security
commitment from the Administration and the General Assembly require that the FY
2004/2005 budget must:
1.
Preserve the Local Government Funds by keeping
the permanent law funding formula.
2.
Protect the integrity of current property tax
relief reimbursement programs and provide local governments with full
reimbursement for any state legislation granting additional real and personal
property tax relief.
3.
Fund state agency subsidy line items adequately
to assure counties can implement state policy initiatives and maximize federal
match opportunities.
During these times of fiscal stress, it is vital that the
partnership between the state and county government be reaffirmed and
strengthened. A commitment from the
Administration and the General Assembly to county government fiscal security
should be one of the centerpieces of the FY 2004/2005 biennial budget.
Commissioners also noted that they will be continuing budget
meeting with County Elected Officials and Department Heads next week.
At 10:00 a.m., Becky
Wagner, County Operations Manager/Administrator, presented
her weekly update. She informed the
Commissioners that several options were reviewed for the Wastewater Operations
department software. Bob Arend, County
Computer Consultant, recommended the County remain with the current software
vendor, JayHawk as that company offered the best package at the best price. Bob Arend also submitted his budget request
for 2003 and it will be reviewed during budget meetings scheduled for next
week.
Tim Houck, Landfill Manager
and Becky have interviewed several candidates for the Environmental Services
Assistant Director’s position. A
recommendation should be made shortly.
Becky also noted that she met with Mark
Hopper and Julie Fowler,
Public Safety Services, to review the Workers’ Compensation discount and also
discussed in more detail the creation of a safety committee. The first safety committee meeting will be
scheduled for the first part of January, 2003.
Mike Fahle, BWC Safety Consultant, will be asked to meet with the group
to offer suggestions.
At 11:00 a.m.,
Commissioners met with Otto Gerdeman and Ken Maag, Poggemeyer Design Group,
Greg Reinhart, County Wastewater Operations Director and Dennis Miller and Lisa
Karcher of Maumee Valley Planning to review various projects. The group reviewed figures Poggemeyer
submitted regarding the Indian Bridge Lane Project. Commissioners continue to look for funding
sources to assist in financing the project.
Poggemeyer estimates that plans should be finalized by February, 2003 to
send to the EPA for review. The
Evansport Wastewater Treatment Plant project is scheduled to open bids Monday,
December 16 at 11:30 a.m. Mr. Gerdeman also noted that 26 bidding
packages have been requested for the Express Sewer bid, scheduled for December
16 at 11:00 a.m.
At 1:00 p.m.,
Commissioners, Becky and Jerry Overmier of Beilharz Architects, toured the
recently-purchased KeyBank facility to discuss potential remodeling changes.
At 1:45 p.m.,
Commissioners met with Mark Hopper, County
Public Safety Services Coordinator, to review information concerning a
Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant. Mark had
searched for someone to write the grant and a prospective candidate did submit
a proposal. Mark reviewed the
candidate’s information and requirements with the Commissioners. After discussion, Mark was requested to
contact the candidate, who would be hired as an independent contractor, to
discuss pay and a timeline for completion.
The grant, in the amount of $11,300.00, must be completed and submitted
by November, 2003.
Mark is also submitting paperwork for a Department of
Justice grant for 2003. If funding
becomes available, air masks, at a cost of $250.00 each, would be purchased for
use by the HAZMAT team and Mark is also looking into the purchase of a 31’
Command Center Support Trailer which would be used during County disasters.
Approved for news release: _____________________________
Otto
L. Nicely, Commissioner