NEWS RELEASE

DEFIANCE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2009

 

The Board of Defiance County Commissioners met in regular session at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 30, 2009 in the Conference Room in the Commissioners’ Office at 500 Court Street, Suite A, Defiance, Ohio 43512.  Chairman James E. Harris, Jr. called the meeting to order.  Also present were Commissioners Otto L. Nicely and Thomas L. Kime, Laura Howell, Administrator and Stephanie Metz, Clerk.

 

The Commissioners met in General Session and approved and signed various resolutions, contracts and documents.  The Commissioners also reviewed the calendar of events and discussed upcoming meetings.

 

The Commissioners awarded the bid for Cash Farm Lease of the Defiance County Landfill farm ground to Nathan Schindler, Bryan, Ohio in the amount of $105.00.

 

Laura Howell, Administrator, met with the Commissioners and presented her report to the Commissioners.  Laura provided the following department updates:

            Julie Voll, Defiance County Family & Children First Council Director, reported that the Ohio Children’s Trust Fund Board recommended the Defiance County plan for approval and the release of the $15,000.00 allocation for SFY 2010.

            The Maintenance department repaired a waterline at DCE.

            Defiance County Senior Services is continuing the fundraising efforts for the Senior Center Project.          

 

Defiance County Juvenile and Probate Court Judge Strausbaugh met with the Commissioners to discuss his department’s budget and update the Commissioners on changes made during the transition.

 

The Commissioners recently received an update for the Bureau for Children with Medical Handicaps Program from the Defiance County General Health District.  The Bureau for Children with Medical Handicaps assists families whose children have a suspected or diagnosed medical problem.  A public health nurse at the health department is assigned to each client enrolled into the BCMH program.  Dealing with the medical community can be a frightening and overwhelming experience.  A public health nurse’s role is to ease the family’s journey by assisting the family with medical referrals, navigating medical bills, and determining the overall needs of a family.  The public health nurse’s involvement with the family is as involved as the family requests.  In the first half of 2009, 106 children were enrolled in the BCMH Program.  Defiance County General Health District received $16,430.00 in payment from the Ohio Department of Health BCMH program.  This money partially funds the time and resources BCMH nurses utilize assisting families with their needs.

 

 

Release Approved:  ____________________________________________________                                       James E. Harris, Jr., Defiance County Commissioner