Highland County to receive first revenues from new casinos

Highland and Ohio's other 87 counties haven't exactly hit the jackpot, but they will be receiving new revenues from Ohio's two casinos in operation.

The Ohio Department of Taxation has notified the Highland County Board of Commissioners of the county's first payment related to casino revenue distribution.

Effective July 31, Highland County will receive a payment of $37,912.96. This is with two casinos in operation in the state of Ohio.

Commission President Shane Wilkin said the revenue is considerably less than the more than $1 million annually the county expected to receive.

Since the payments are quarterly, Highland County's annual revenues from the first two casinos will be approximately $151,600.

The state originally estimated Ohio counties would share close to $650 million in new revenues. However, that figure was later reduced to $355 million.

Casinos in Cleveland and Toledo have opened, and two more – one in Columbus and one in Cincinnati – will open later.

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Disaster relief funds

• In other business, Highland County Department of Job and Family Services Director Deb Robbins informed the commissioners at their Wednesday, July 11 meeting that $30,000 in disaster relief funds through the TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) Program will be available for eligible applicants.

In addition, $7,500 will be available for elderly and/or disabled applicants.

The funds are needs-based for those suffering losses of food, appliances, electrical outages and damages to homes or vehicles during the recent thunderstorms and straight line winds that affected much of the state.

Applications are available at the Highland County Job and Family Services office on North High Street.

"People will not be able to just walk in and receive a check," Robbins said. "There is an application process. They need to have their application in by Aug. 2."

Robbins also said the funding is capped at $1,500 per applicant, in order that more funds can go to more people.

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Public records request policy

• Wilkin informed Commissioners Tom Horst and Jeremy Shaffer that a county public records request policy is being put together by Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins.

A draft of the records request policy was given to Shaffer and Horst Wednesday.

Wilkin asked if there were any additions or subtractions, to let Collins know prior to the final draft. Collins told The Highland County Press she was basing her draft from a similar document with the Ohio Attorney General's office.

For a copy of the Ohio Attorney General's Model Public Records Policy, go to: http://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/files/Publications/Publications-for-….

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Rainsboro liquor license

• In other business, commissioners are checking with residents in the Rainsboro community in order to see if there are any objections to a Rainsboro tire business's request for a liquor license.

Horst said he would contact Greenfield Exempted Village Schools Superintendent Terry Fouch to see if the school district had any objections, given the proximity of the business to Rainsboro Elementary School.

If there are objections, the county will request a hearing with the Ohio Department of Commerce/Division of Liquor Control.

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Public records request

• Highland County resident Jim Moore made a public records request with the county commissioners in which he is requesting copies of all public records requests made by officers of the Highland County TEA Party – now and in the future.