NEWS RELEASE

Thursday, July 26, 2018

The Board of Defiance County Commissioners met in regular session at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 26, 2018 in the in the Commissioners’ Session Room at 500 Court Street, Defiance, Ohio 43512. President Ryan Mack called the meeting to order. Also present were Commissioners Gary Plotts and Mick Pocratsky, Sherry Carnahan, Finance Manager/Administrator, and Stephanie Metz, Clerk.

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

After passing a resolution last week regarding a Replacement with an increase to 1.2-mills for E-911, Defiance County Auditor Jill Little provided new information to the Commissioners. Any existing levies have a 10% rollback attached to them. The State reimburses the Counties 10% of the levy amount, up to a maximum of $60,000.00. This means that on existing levies, the landowners receive a discount on their property taxes. This 10% rollback does not apply to any new levies, including replacements. After learning of this, the Commissioners, with deliberation with Sheriff Engel and Matt Hanenkrath, E911 Director, decided to rescind the resolution for a Replacement with an increase to 1.2-mills. The County Auditor advised that in order to receive the same monetary amount as previously proposed, the Sheriff’s Office/E911 should ask the Defiance County taxpayers to approve a RENEWAL WITH AN INCREASE TO 1.4-mills. The increase in mills from 1.2 to 1.4 is because a levy cannot bring in any more revenue than the original millage did. The valuations of Defiance County have increased since the first E911 levy was approved, so the original 1.0-mill levy is actually collected at 0.8-mills.

Today in session, the Commissioners approved a resolution to declare that the amount of taxes that may be raised within the ten-mill limitation will be insufficient to provide for the necessary requirements of the County and that it is necessary to levy a renewal with an increase to a 1.4-mill ad valorem property tax in excess of the ten-mill limitation, for a period of five (5) years, for the establishment and operation of a 9-1-1 system, as defiance in R.C. § 128.01, and for a Countywide Public Safety Communications System under R.C. § 307.63, and that it intends to submit the question of that renewal with an increase levy to County electors at an election to be held on November 6, 2018, as authorized by R.C. § 5705.19(SS). This Board also requested the County Auditor to certify to it both (i) the total current tax valuation of the County and (ii) the dollar amount of revenue that would be generated by the renewal with an Increase to a 1.4-mill tax levy specified.

Jason Roehrig, Defiance County Soil & Water Conservation District Administrator, met with the Commissioners to provide a quarterly update. Jason reported that Fenson Contracting, LLC will be completing construction of Culp Ditch soon. The Jackman Ditch construction should begin by September 1 and be completed by November 30. There were 30 site reviews completed this year. The following Education Outreach Programs were completed:

· Pond Clinic hosted with 31 landowners in attendance;

· Kid’s Outdoor Science Camp at Camp Palmer for 3^rd through 8^th grade with 18 Defiance County students participating;

· Penney Nature Center Kid’s Camp for Kindergarten through 2^nd grade with 26 in attendance.

The Investment Advisory Committee of Vickie Myers (Defiance County Treasurer), Amy Galbraith (Defiance County Clerk of Courts) and the Commissioners met for the Second Quarter Investment Advisory Meeting. Ryan Nelson, Redtree Investment Group, and Warren Schlatter, Landfill Manager, also attended the meeting. The Defiance County Investment Portfolio, Landfill Closure Portfolio and Post Closure Portfolio were approved.

Jim Harris and Wes Zwiebel, Brunersburg Water & Sewer District, met with the Commissioners to inform the Board that the Ohio EPA issued Proposed Findings and Orders for the Airport waterline, which is owned by the County and operated by Brunersburg Water & Sewer District. The Findings and Orders are due to continued exceedance of the total trihalomehtane (TTHM) maximum contaminant level. The Commissioners will work with Brunersburg Water & Sewer District and the Ohio EPA to find the most economical and effective solution for the users of the system.

Release Approved: ____________________________________________________

Ryan Mack, Defiance County Commissioner