NEWS RELEASE

DEFIANCE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2008

The Board of Defiance County Commissioners met in regular session at 8:30 a.m. in the Hicksville Village Council Room, Hicksville, Ohio on Thursday, October 2, 2008. Chairman Thomas L. Kime called the meeting to order. Also present were Commissioners James E. Harris, Jr. and Otto L. Nicely, Laura Howell, County Administrator and Stephanie Metz, Clerk.

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

Laura Howell, Administrator, provided her weekly update to the Board. Laura provided an update from the County Apiary Inspector, Edwin “Fritz” Gehring. The beekeeper inspections were completed at the end of July. Defiance County has experienced very little serious disease; however, he did find 4-5 cases of small hive beetles. Small hive beetles are an invader from South Africa that attack weak hives. He noted that most beekeepers in Defiance County have large crops; in fact the honey crop was the largest of the five county area he serves. In July, Mr. Gehring gave a 1-1/2 hour lecture at the Defiance Public Library on bees and beekeeping for approximately 30 people. He provides literature to beekeepers with issues and his phone number to all beekeepers in the event they have questions.

The Commissioners received from Jane Tadsen, Defiance County Recorder, the department’s report for September, 2008. Jane reported to the Commissioners that during the month of September, 2008, there were 139 Deeds, 176 Mortgages, 169 Releases, 5 Leases and 1 Plat. The total for the month of September, 2008 was $22,934.20, of which $11,298.60 went toward the Housing Trust Fund and $11,635.60 went toward the General Fund.

Julie Rittenhouse, Public Safety Director, met with the Commissioners to review the County’s Emergency Operations Plan. This plan gets reviewed and updated annually to submit any changes to the State. Julie informed the Board that the department has received the approximately $18,000.00 for the first two quarters of this year’s Ohio Emergency Management Performance Grant. This money is a fifty percent (50%) reimbursement for the general operations of the emergency management aspects of the Public Safety Department.

Release Approved: ____________________________________________________

Thomas L. Kime, Defiance County Commissioner