2011 budget projections please county
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Commissioners letter to former economic development director
Dear Dan,
Since March 31, 2010, when we closed the Economic Development office, there has been a great deal of confusion about who the public should contact for county economic development issues. We believe that because you are maintaining the same office and using the same telephone number, people are mistakenly under the impression that you are still taking care of county issues.
Four months have passed since the Economic Development office was closed and we feel it is time for you to complete the transition by moving everything from the office. The Probation Department can supply the manpower to physically move the furniture and files. If you have items you do not want to keep, you can place them in the County Auction to be held on August 10, 2010. The office must be vacated by August 31, 2010 or we will take action as needed.
Be assured that we appreciate all you have done for the county and regret the circumstances that forced our decision to close the office, but it is time to move forward.
Sincerely,
Shane Wilkin
Tom Horst
Gary Heaton
Board of County Commissioners
Highland County, Ohio
Budget projections please county
Departments propose few increases for 2011
By RORY RYAN
The Highland County Press
Commissioners said this week they are pleased with the initial departmental budgets presented for 2011.
During a budget review hearing on Wednesday, Aug. 11 with Highland County Auditor Bill Fawley, commissioners Shane Wilkin, Tom Horst and Gary Heaton expressed appreciation to department heads for keeping next year’s budget close to the 2010 numbers.
“The requests came in very much in line with what they were this year,” Fawley said. “There are some increases, but nothing major. This year it’s $8.3 million and the increase requests take it to $8.5 million (for next year). That’s not a huge increase.”
“On my first review, I was very pleased,” Wilkin said.
“I was, too,” Fawley said. “All departments came back within reason. Last year’s requests started at over $10 million. You had to cut a lot. This year’s requests are pretty much flat-lined.”
“Plus, a lot of people don’t remember our lost interest income,” Heaton said.
According to Fawley, interest earnings for the county went from approximately $500,000 three years ago to about $24,000.
After a motion by Horst, commissioners voted 3-0 to accept the proposed 2011 budget.
In other business, commissioners met with former economic development director Dan Cowdrey regarding the economic development office.
Commissioners did away with the position effective March 31, but said Cowdrey had continued to be in the office. Commissioners sent a letter to Cowdrey demanding he vacate the office by Aug. 31 or they would “take action as needed.”
“Four months have passed since the Economic Development office was closed and we feel it is time for you to complete the transition by moving everything from the office,” commissioners said in a letter to Cowdrey.
“The Probation Department can supply the manpower to physically move the furniture and files. The office must be vacated by Aug. 31 or we will take action as needed. Be assured that we appreciate all you have done for the county and regret the circumstances that forced our decision to close the office, but it is time to move forward.”
Wilkin said the fact that the office was still occupied was causing confusion among some people looking for economic development assistance.
Cowdrey said he’s been sorting files and trying to make a smooth transition for the county and for the active clients list.
“For me, we work for the people,” Cowdrey said. “It’s hard to get away from that. Am I supposed to tell them ‘no’? When you’re in the middle of a business plan and financial analysis, you can’t just walk away from it.”
Cowdrey said “Lynchburg wants to move ahead and do some things.”
“They’ve not said anything to us,” Wilkin said.
Commissioners said they had no problem with Cowdrey working as a private consultant, but they wanted the office vacated by Aug. 31.
• Commissioners also met with Steve Hunter of Weller’s Plumbing and Heating, Inc., regarding an air conditioning issue at the Highland County Justice Center.
Due to compressor and economizer problems, there has been an ongoing issue of maintaining consistent temperatures at the jail.
Hunter offered a solution with an estimate of approximately $5,350 and commissioners approved the expense.
• Commissioners met in executive session for a personnel matter with Highland County Sheriff Ron Ward.
Ward also brought a copy of a recent newspaper legal advertising bill of $1,088 to the meeting. He said he was concerned with the increase in cost.
Earlier this year, Highland County Auditor Bill Fawley questioned a legal advertising bill of more than $13,000. The auditor’s office later received an adjusted invoice from that company.
• On behalf of Mark Edenfield, president of Ervin Hill Enterprises; Diana M. Jones, president of Ohio Asphaltic Limestone/Miller-Mason Paving; and Tom Hudson, Hudson Drilling, commissioners requested a meeting with Third District Rep. Mike Turner.
“(They) have been experiencing ongoing difficulties with the inspections by the Mine Safety and Health Administration,” commissioners said.
“They would appreciate an opportunity to briefly discuss the inconsistent and unfair inspection reports they have been receiving from MHSA.”
Turner agreed to meet with them.
Resolutions
In other action, the commissioners passed the following resolutions, all by 3-0 votes:
• The authorization of a new Probation fund to be known as T-30 OCJS Re-Entry and the authorization of appropriations as follows: Personnel, $20,000; OPERS, $2,800; Medicare, $290; Workers Compensation, $400; Insurance, $0; Contracts/Reimbursements, $100,000, for total appropriation of $123,490. The estimated revenue for the first half of FY11 for this fund
is $150,000.
• The agreement to allow the Highland County Department of Job and Family Services staff to reconstruct the normal workday or work week for the purpose of promoting efficiency or improving services.
• The authorization of additional appropriation to the Rolling Acres Sewer Fund as follows: from Unappropriated funds to Sewage Fund, Contracts & Services in the amount of $2,000.
• The authorization of additional appropriation to the Board of MR/DD Permanent Improvement Fund as follows: from Unappropriated funds to Other Expense in the amount of $72,000.
• The appointment of Gary Schluep to the Paint Valley ADAMH Board for the term of August 1, 2010 through June 30, 2014.
• The authorization of a modification to the General Fund as follows: from County Miscellaneous, Transfers to County Airport in the amount of $4,000. The modification is for the insurance renewal policy.
• The authorization of a new line-item in the Commissioners budget as follows: ARRA Private Sewer. This line-item will be used for Home Sewer Treatment Systems (HSTS) Improvements projects which are ARRA funds.
• The authorization of the June 2010 mandated distribution of Child Support Enforcement Agency Administrative Account funds to the Public Assistance Account as follows: from Reimbursement Stimulus to Public Assistance, in the amount of $7,956.82.
• The authorization of a modification to the Probation Pre-Trial Supervision budget as follows: from Medicare in the amount of $408.94; from Workers Compensation in the amount of $1,123; from Insurance in the amount of $4,404; and from Equipment in the amount of $2,019.06 to Other Expense, in the amount of $7,955.
• The appointment of Pamela Nickell to the Highland County Children Services Board for the term of Sept. 1, 2010 to Dec. 31, 2010. Nickell replaces Dr. Sushant Navalkar.
• The authorization of a modification to the Rocky Fork Lake Sewer District budget as follows: from Contracts & Repairs to Other Expense, in the amount of $1,000.
Commissioners said this week they are pleased with the initial departmental budgets presented for 2011.
During a budget review hearing on Wednesday, Aug. 11 with Highland County Auditor Bill Fawley, commissioners Shane Wilkin, Tom Horst and Gary Heaton expressed appreciation to department heads for keeping next year’s budget close to the 2010 numbers.
“The requests came in very much in line with what they were this year,” Fawley said. “There are some increases, but nothing major. This year it’s $8.3 million and the increase requests take it to $8.5 million (for next year). That’s not a huge increase.”
“On my first review, I was very pleased,” Wilkin said.
“I was, too,” Fawley said. “All departments came back within reason. Last year’s requests started at over $10 million. You had to cut a lot. This year’s requests are pretty much flat-lined.”
“Plus, a lot of people don’t remember our lost interest income,” Heaton said.
According to Fawley, interest earnings for the county went from approximately $500,000 three years ago to about $24,000.
After a motion by Horst, commissioners voted 3-0 to accept the proposed 2011 budget.
In other business, commissioners met with former economic development director Dan Cowdrey regarding the economic development office.
Commissioners did away with the position effective March 31, but said Cowdrey had continued to be in the office. Commissioners sent a letter to Cowdrey demanding he vacate the office by Aug. 31 or they would “take action as needed.”
“Four months have passed since the Economic Development office was closed and we feel it is time for you to complete the transition by moving everything from the office,” commissioners said in a letter to Cowdrey.
“The Probation Department can supply the manpower to physically move the furniture and files. The office must be vacated by Aug. 31 or we will take action as needed. Be assured that we appreciate all you have done for the county and regret the circumstances that forced our decision to close the office, but it is time to move forward.”
Wilkin said the fact that the office was still occupied was causing confusion among some people looking for economic development assistance.
Cowdrey said he’s been sorting files and trying to make a smooth transition for the county and for the active clients list.
“For me, we work for the people,” Cowdrey said. “It’s hard to get away from that. Am I supposed to tell them ‘no’? When you’re in the middle of a business plan and financial analysis, you can’t just walk away from it.”
Cowdrey said “Lynchburg wants to move ahead and do some things.”
“They’ve not said anything to us,” Wilkin said.
Commissioners said they had no problem with Cowdrey working as a private consultant, but they wanted the office vacated by Aug. 31.
• Commissioners also met with Steve Hunter of Weller’s Plumbing and Heating, Inc., regarding an air conditioning issue at the Highland County Justice Center.
Due to compressor and economizer problems, there has been an ongoing issue of maintaining consistent temperatures at the jail.
Hunter offered a solution with an estimate of approximately $5,350 and commissioners approved the expense.
• Commissioners met in executive session for a personnel matter with Highland County Sheriff Ron Ward.
Ward also brought a copy of a recent newspaper legal advertising bill of $1,088 to the meeting. He said he was concerned with the increase in cost.
Earlier this year, Highland County Auditor Bill Fawley questioned a legal advertising bill of more than $13,000. The auditor’s office later received an adjusted invoice from that company.
• On behalf of Mark Edenfield, president of Ervin Hill Enterprises; Diana M. Jones, president of Ohio Asphaltic Limestone/Miller-Mason Paving; and Tom Hudson, Hudson Drilling, commissioners requested a meeting with Third District Rep. Mike Turner.
“(They) have been experiencing ongoing difficulties with the inspections by the Mine Safety and Health Administration,” commissioners said.
“They would appreciate an opportunity to briefly discuss the inconsistent and unfair inspection reports they have been receiving from MHSA.”
Turner agreed to meet with them.
Resolutions
In other action, the commissioners passed the following resolutions, all by 3-0 votes:
• The authorization of a new Probation fund to be known as T-30 OCJS Re-Entry and the authorization of appropriations as follows: Personnel, $20,000; OPERS, $2,800; Medicare, $290; Workers Compensation, $400; Insurance, $0; Contracts/Reimbursements, $100,000, for total appropriation of $123,490. The estimated revenue for the first half of FY11 for this fund
is $150,000.
• The agreement to allow the Highland County Department of Job and Family Services staff to reconstruct the normal workday or work week for the purpose of promoting efficiency or improving services.
• The authorization of additional appropriation to the Rolling Acres Sewer Fund as follows: from Unappropriated funds to Sewage Fund, Contracts & Services in the amount of $2,000.
• The authorization of additional appropriation to the Board of MR/DD Permanent Improvement Fund as follows: from Unappropriated funds to Other Expense in the amount of $72,000.
• The appointment of Gary Schluep to the Paint Valley ADAMH Board for the term of August 1, 2010 through June 30, 2014.
• The authorization of a modification to the General Fund as follows: from County Miscellaneous, Transfers to County Airport in the amount of $4,000. The modification is for the insurance renewal policy.
• The authorization of a new line-item in the Commissioners budget as follows: ARRA Private Sewer. This line-item will be used for Home Sewer Treatment Systems (HSTS) Improvements projects which are ARRA funds.
• The authorization of the June 2010 mandated distribution of Child Support Enforcement Agency Administrative Account funds to the Public Assistance Account as follows: from Reimbursement Stimulus to Public Assistance, in the amount of $7,956.82.
• The authorization of a modification to the Probation Pre-Trial Supervision budget as follows: from Medicare in the amount of $408.94; from Workers Compensation in the amount of $1,123; from Insurance in the amount of $4,404; and from Equipment in the amount of $2,019.06 to Other Expense, in the amount of $7,955.
• The appointment of Pamela Nickell to the Highland County Children Services Board for the term of Sept. 1, 2010 to Dec. 31, 2010. Nickell replaces Dr. Sushant Navalkar.
• The authorization of a modification to the Rocky Fork Lake Sewer District budget as follows: from Contracts & Repairs to Other Expense, in the amount of $1,000.
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