NEWS RELEASE
DEFIANCE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
MONDAY,
MAY 9, 2016
The Board of Defiance County Commissioners
met in regular session at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, May 9, 2016 in the Conference
Room in the Commissioners’ conference at 500 Court Street, Suite A, Defiance, Ohio 43512. Commissioner Otto L. Nicely called the
meeting to order. Also present were Commissioners
Ryan Mack and Thomas L. Kime, and Stephanie Metz, Clerk.
Russ Herman, Defiance County Prosecuting
Attorney’s Office, met with the Commissioners to discuss various 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 Commissioners approved an application
for Transportation Alternatives Program Funding. The United States Congress has
set aside monies for Transportation Alternative Projects through the State of
Ohio, Department of Transportation. The City of Defiance and the County of
Defiance submitted a joint proposal to incorporate the replacement of the
bridge into an alternative transportation project that will provide aesthetic
and recreational improvements to the Bridge, provide enhancements for bicycle
and pedestrian traffic between the Bridge and Independence Dam State Park,
provide public recreational amenities along the north bank of the Maumee River
in furtherance of the long term strategic plan to improve water quality and
reduce flood losses by creating an integrated system of parks on the banks of
the Maumee, Auglaize and Tiffin rivers, stabilize the north bank of the Maumee
River, and, by so doing, potentially reduce the cost to eliminate undesirable
discharges from the combined sewer system. The anticipated cost of the
alternative transportation facility is $3,000,000 of which $1,300,000 is
allocated to improvements to be located within the boundaries of the County of
Defiance and outside the present boundaries of the City of Defiance. The Ohio
Department of Transportation has invited the City and County to submit a joint
application for Transportation Alternatives Program funds to pay up to 95% of
the anticipated cost to construct the proposed ‘Defiance County Road 424
Bicycle and Pedestrian Enhancements Project’. If awarded funding, the County
will pay 5% of the total construction costs allocated to the County, an amount
presently estimated at $65,000 ($1,300,000 x 0.05). The City of Defiance and
County of Defiance will pay One Hundred (100%) of the construction costs over
and above the maximum amount provided by the State of Ohio, Department of
Transportation and for all costs associated with design, environmental and
right-of-way activities.
Warren Schlatter,
Defiance County Engineer, met with the Commissioners to provide a weekly update
for the Engineer’s Office and a monthly update for the Landfill. Warren
informed the Board that Gerken Paving, Inc. is working on the repaving of Cicero
Road. Highway crews are replacing a culvert on Farmer Mark Road, and will begin
roadside mowing once weather permits. Warren reported that there were sales of
$334,891.35 from 38,424 cubic yards and 10,602.20 tons of waste at the Landfill
in April. He stated that 2016 to date is a record year for sales.
Bill Bowers, QMC,
and Stacy Demaline, Midwest Contracting, Inc., met
with the Commissioners to discuss the brick and stone of the Courthouse. Mr.
Bowers informed the Board that he will be providing the Board with a report of
his findings for the brick and stone of the Courthouse and a recommendation of
how the clean, repair, and possibly preserve the exterior.
Niki Warncke and
Emma Kirkpatrick, Maumee Valley Planning Organization, met with the Commissioners
to review the projects submitted for the FY 2016 CDBG Community Development
Program. Niki stated that there is $60,000.00 available to use for up to 3
projects in the County. The Village of Sherwood submitted a request for
$30,300.00 to pave 1,765 l.f. of Coy Road from State
Route 18 to Vine Street extension. Tiffin Township submitted a request for
$20,300.00 for 600 l.f. of 15” tile
and 5 catch basins along the Defiance-Williams County Line Road. The
Commissioners asked Niki to see if the installation of a full-building
generator for the Defiance Senior Center would also qualify as a project. The
Commissioners will need to make a final decision on the projects at the second
public hearing on June 6, 2016.
The Commissioners
attended the Four County Joint Board Meeting.
Release Approved: ____________________________________________________
Otto L.
Nicely, Defiance County Commissioner