NEWS RELEASE

DEFIANCE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

MONDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2013

The Board of Defiance County Commissioners met in regular session at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, December 23, 2013 in the Conference Room in the Commissioners’ Office at 500 Court Street, Suite A, Defiance, Ohio 43512. Chairman Otto L. Nicely called the meeting to order. Also present were Commissioners James E. Harris, Jr. and Thomas L. Kime, Sherry Carnahan, Finance Manager/Administrator, and Stephanie Metz, Clerk.

Russ Herman, Defiance County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, met with the Commissioners to discuss pending and imminent legal matters.

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 Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio, Inc. (AOoA) has awarded funds to the Defiance County Senior Services (DCSS) dedicated to the Older Americans Act Nutrition Programs for January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014.This award includes $153,396.28 in funds distributed by the AOoA and $90,632.35 anticipated program income, contingent upon the meal goal of 77,941; the meal goal includes additional meals anticipated to be served using local resources of $362,827.00. The Commissioners accepted the terms and conditions of the program.

Warren Schlatter, Defiance County Engineer, met with the Commissioners for a weekly update. Warren provided the Board with the Job Cost Accounting Report for the force account work to replace the existing culvert on Trinity Road south of Bostater Road. The final cost was $28,485.04.

Jennifer Caryer, Defiance County Records Center, met with the Commissioners for a quarterly update. Jennifer reported that the department has handled a total of 2,562 public records requests in 2013, which brought in $1,259.56 in revenue.

The Commissioners recently informed the County employees of increases to the employee’s share of the employee health insurance. The County has experienced a significant increase in the reinsurance premiums and administrative costs of the health insurance. In past years, the General Fund has absorbed some of the increases and not passed them onto the employees. The fund can no longer absorb the increases. The Board recently met with the Insurance Committee members and discussed the increases. The Committee agreed with the following changes for 2014:

· The deductible was increased from $200 single/$400 family to $500 single/$1,000 family.

· The maximum out of pocket was increased from $750 single/$1,500 family to $1,050 single/$2,100 family.

· The new monthly employee share rates increased by 10%.

The Commissioners’ Office is closing at Noon on Tuesday, December 24, 2013 and will also be closed on Wednesday, December 25, 2013 in observance of Christmas.

Release Approved: ____________________________________________________

Otto L. Nicely, Defiance County Commissioner