Commission hears plan for Leesburg annexation
By
Rory Ryan-hcpress@cinci.rr.com
The Highland County Board of Commissioners and Frank Leone of Environmental Engineering Services met Wednesday with Leesburg Mayor Jim Cook, Leesburg Solicitor Fred Beery and Leesburg developer Harold Roberts regarding a proposed annexation of property along High Rock Road.
“We are hoping to do an annexation by agreement,” Beery told commissioners. “This is a meeting to advise you of our wishes. We have to meet with township trustees, too.”
Discussion followed regarding Roberts Acres subdivision and obligations for new water and sewerage tap fees. Connection fees of $3,100 had to be paid to the county prior to new construction, Leone said, until all of its debt on the sewerage system was paid.
“When we put the agreement together, we agreed there would be a fee due {to} the county of $3,100,” Beery said.
“We would like to put this together with a reasonable way to help the county and the village,” Roberts said. “We’re trying to generate revenue for the village of Leesburg. This would make an improvement for the village.”
Beery and Leone agreed to exchange letters on the proposal and to include Highland County Prosecutor Jim Grandey in their correspondence.
No action was taken on the proposed annexation, which will also be discussed with trustees, village council and property owners, Beery said.
***
* Highland County Sheriff Ron Ward presented a proposed resolution to the county commission this week that would compensate two dispatchers from the county’s Phase II Wireless 911 fund.
The Phase II 911 service picks up from the enhanced 911 service and allows dispatchers to pinpoint emergency calls made from cellular telephones. “This captures longitude and latitude on cell calls,” Ward said.
“All we need is for PUCO (Public Utilities Commission of Ohio) certification.”
Ward said that in the future he would prefer not to pay salaries from the fund, but it was necessary at this point due to the recent and ongoing budget reductions.
“This is about $70,000 in salary of the $85,000 that was cut in my budget,” the sheriff said. “Right now, we are teetering on more layoffs. The ability to use these funds is the only way to avoid more layoffs. Any further budget revisions will result in more layoffs.”
Ward noted that his department has already reduced 14 positions.
Commissioners agreed to fund the dispatchers as proposed, but on a quarterly basis.
In other business, commissioners held a follow-up discussion with Jeremy Ratcliff, chief probation officer for the Highland County Probation Department.
Ratcliff said due to budget cuts his department was looking at possible staff re-alignment and is working with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction on a grant that will fund some staff.
Ratcliff also was meeting with the courts and judges in the county to discuss funding and issues related to some cases of unsupervised probation.
“We may have some people released on unsupervised probation,” Ratcliff said.
“Everyone’s going to have to do what’s necessary to work through this,” Commission President Shane Wilkin said.
Commissioners approved the following resolutions, all by 3-0 votes:
* The re-appointment of Steve Hunter to the Highland County District Library Board of Trustees beginning Jan. 2, 2010 and ending Jan. 1, 2017.
* The authorization of Lee D. Koogler to serve as hearing officer for IV-D paternity and support establishment cases by the Highland County Child Support Enforcement Agency. The contract period is Jan. 1, 2010 through Dec. 31, 2010 at a rate of $45 per unit of service.
* The authorization of additional appropriation to the Sheriff’s budget from the Methamphetamine Initiative Grant as follows: from Unappropriated Funds to Sheriff’s Employee Salaries, in the amount of $109.57.
* The modification, transfer, and additional appropriation (Juvenile Court to Indigent Guardianship S-007) as follows: modify from Juvenile Court, Salary Employees, to Juvenile Court, Transfers Out, in the amount of $1,500; transfer from Juvenile Court, Transfers Out, to Indigent Guardianship Fund in the amount of $1,500; and additional appropriation from Unappropriated Funds to Indigent Guardianship, Transfers Out.
* The approval of travel for Dori Bishop, Highland County Recycling & Litter Prevention, for the year 2010. Mileage reimbursement, to be paid from the Recycling Grant, will be requested after each trip.
* The transfer from Child Support to Public Assistance as follows: from Administrative Account to Public Assistance Account, in the amount of $10,737.59.
* The establishment of a new line item in the Right-To-Know fund as follows: Right-To-Know, Transfers Out; and the authorization of a modification as follows: from Training to Transfers Out, in the amount of $2,500, and from Planning & Exercise to Transfers Out, in the amount of $1,500; and the authorization of a transfer as follows: from Right-To-Know, Transfers Out, to Emergency Management, which will offset expenses in the
Emergency Management fund.
* The authorization of additional appropriation to Victim Witness budget as follows: from Unappropriated Funds to Court Fines & Fees, in the amount of $94.07.
In other business, commissioners held a follow-up discussion with Jeremy Ratcliff, chief probation officer for the Highland County Probation Department.
Ratcliff said due to budget cuts his department was looking at possible staff re-alignment and is working with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction on a grant that will fund some staff.
Ratcliff also was meeting with the courts and judges in the county to discuss funding and issues related to some cases of unsupervised probation.
“We may have some people released on unsupervised probation,” Ratcliff said.
“Everyone’s going to have to do what’s necessary to work through this,” Commission President Shane Wilkin said.
Commissioners approved the following resolutions, all by 3-0 votes:
* The re-appointment of Steve Hunter to the Highland County District Library Board of Trustees beginning Jan. 2, 2010 and ending Jan. 1, 2017.
* The authorization of Lee D. Koogler to serve as hearing officer for IV-D paternity and support establishment cases by the Highland County Child Support Enforcement Agency. The contract period is Jan. 1, 2010 through Dec. 31, 2010 at a rate of $45 per unit of service.
* The authorization of additional appropriation to the Sheriff’s budget from the Methamphetamine Initiative Grant as follows: from Unappropriated Funds to Sheriff’s Employee Salaries, in the amount of $109.57.
* The modification, transfer, and additional appropriation (Juvenile Court to Indigent Guardianship S-007) as follows: modify from Juvenile Court, Salary Employees, to Juvenile Court, Transfers Out, in the amount of $1,500; transfer from Juvenile Court, Transfers Out, to Indigent Guardianship Fund in the amount of $1,500; and additional appropriation from Unappropriated Funds to Indigent Guardianship, Transfers Out.
* The approval of travel for Dori Bishop, Highland County Recycling & Litter Prevention, for the year 2010. Mileage reimbursement, to be paid from the Recycling Grant, will be requested after each trip.
* The transfer from Child Support to Public Assistance as follows: from Administrative Account to Public Assistance Account, in the amount of $10,737.59.
* The establishment of a new line item in the Right-To-Know fund as follows: Right-To-Know, Transfers Out; and the authorization of a modification as follows: from Training to Transfers Out, in the amount of $2,500, and from Planning & Exercise to Transfers Out, in the amount of $1,500; and the authorization of a transfer as follows: from Right-To-Know, Transfers Out, to Emergency Management, which will offset expenses in the
Emergency Management fund.
* The authorization of additional appropriation to Victim Witness budget as follows: from Unappropriated Funds to Court Fines & Fees, in the amount of $94.07.[[In-content Ad]]
“We are hoping to do an annexation by agreement,” Beery told commissioners. “This is a meeting to advise you of our wishes. We have to meet with township trustees, too.”
Discussion followed regarding Roberts Acres subdivision and obligations for new water and sewerage tap fees. Connection fees of $3,100 had to be paid to the county prior to new construction, Leone said, until all of its debt on the sewerage system was paid.
“When we put the agreement together, we agreed there would be a fee due {to} the county of $3,100,” Beery said.
“We would like to put this together with a reasonable way to help the county and the village,” Roberts said. “We’re trying to generate revenue for the village of Leesburg. This would make an improvement for the village.”
Beery and Leone agreed to exchange letters on the proposal and to include Highland County Prosecutor Jim Grandey in their correspondence.
No action was taken on the proposed annexation, which will also be discussed with trustees, village council and property owners, Beery said.
***
* Highland County Sheriff Ron Ward presented a proposed resolution to the county commission this week that would compensate two dispatchers from the county’s Phase II Wireless 911 fund.
The Phase II 911 service picks up from the enhanced 911 service and allows dispatchers to pinpoint emergency calls made from cellular telephones. “This captures longitude and latitude on cell calls,” Ward said.
“All we need is for PUCO (Public Utilities Commission of Ohio) certification.”
Ward said that in the future he would prefer not to pay salaries from the fund, but it was necessary at this point due to the recent and ongoing budget reductions.
“This is about $70,000 in salary of the $85,000 that was cut in my budget,” the sheriff said. “Right now, we are teetering on more layoffs. The ability to use these funds is the only way to avoid more layoffs. Any further budget revisions will result in more layoffs.”
Ward noted that his department has already reduced 14 positions.
Commissioners agreed to fund the dispatchers as proposed, but on a quarterly basis.
In other business, commissioners held a follow-up discussion with Jeremy Ratcliff, chief probation officer for the Highland County Probation Department.
Ratcliff said due to budget cuts his department was looking at possible staff re-alignment and is working with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction on a grant that will fund some staff.
Ratcliff also was meeting with the courts and judges in the county to discuss funding and issues related to some cases of unsupervised probation.
“We may have some people released on unsupervised probation,” Ratcliff said.
“Everyone’s going to have to do what’s necessary to work through this,” Commission President Shane Wilkin said.
Commissioners approved the following resolutions, all by 3-0 votes:
* The re-appointment of Steve Hunter to the Highland County District Library Board of Trustees beginning Jan. 2, 2010 and ending Jan. 1, 2017.
* The authorization of Lee D. Koogler to serve as hearing officer for IV-D paternity and support establishment cases by the Highland County Child Support Enforcement Agency. The contract period is Jan. 1, 2010 through Dec. 31, 2010 at a rate of $45 per unit of service.
* The authorization of additional appropriation to the Sheriff’s budget from the Methamphetamine Initiative Grant as follows: from Unappropriated Funds to Sheriff’s Employee Salaries, in the amount of $109.57.
* The modification, transfer, and additional appropriation (Juvenile Court to Indigent Guardianship S-007) as follows: modify from Juvenile Court, Salary Employees, to Juvenile Court, Transfers Out, in the amount of $1,500; transfer from Juvenile Court, Transfers Out, to Indigent Guardianship Fund in the amount of $1,500; and additional appropriation from Unappropriated Funds to Indigent Guardianship, Transfers Out.
* The approval of travel for Dori Bishop, Highland County Recycling & Litter Prevention, for the year 2010. Mileage reimbursement, to be paid from the Recycling Grant, will be requested after each trip.
* The transfer from Child Support to Public Assistance as follows: from Administrative Account to Public Assistance Account, in the amount of $10,737.59.
* The establishment of a new line item in the Right-To-Know fund as follows: Right-To-Know, Transfers Out; and the authorization of a modification as follows: from Training to Transfers Out, in the amount of $2,500, and from Planning & Exercise to Transfers Out, in the amount of $1,500; and the authorization of a transfer as follows: from Right-To-Know, Transfers Out, to Emergency Management, which will offset expenses in the
Emergency Management fund.
* The authorization of additional appropriation to Victim Witness budget as follows: from Unappropriated Funds to Court Fines & Fees, in the amount of $94.07.
In other business, commissioners held a follow-up discussion with Jeremy Ratcliff, chief probation officer for the Highland County Probation Department.
Ratcliff said due to budget cuts his department was looking at possible staff re-alignment and is working with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction on a grant that will fund some staff.
Ratcliff also was meeting with the courts and judges in the county to discuss funding and issues related to some cases of unsupervised probation.
“We may have some people released on unsupervised probation,” Ratcliff said.
“Everyone’s going to have to do what’s necessary to work through this,” Commission President Shane Wilkin said.
Commissioners approved the following resolutions, all by 3-0 votes:
* The re-appointment of Steve Hunter to the Highland County District Library Board of Trustees beginning Jan. 2, 2010 and ending Jan. 1, 2017.
* The authorization of Lee D. Koogler to serve as hearing officer for IV-D paternity and support establishment cases by the Highland County Child Support Enforcement Agency. The contract period is Jan. 1, 2010 through Dec. 31, 2010 at a rate of $45 per unit of service.
* The authorization of additional appropriation to the Sheriff’s budget from the Methamphetamine Initiative Grant as follows: from Unappropriated Funds to Sheriff’s Employee Salaries, in the amount of $109.57.
* The modification, transfer, and additional appropriation (Juvenile Court to Indigent Guardianship S-007) as follows: modify from Juvenile Court, Salary Employees, to Juvenile Court, Transfers Out, in the amount of $1,500; transfer from Juvenile Court, Transfers Out, to Indigent Guardianship Fund in the amount of $1,500; and additional appropriation from Unappropriated Funds to Indigent Guardianship, Transfers Out.
* The approval of travel for Dori Bishop, Highland County Recycling & Litter Prevention, for the year 2010. Mileage reimbursement, to be paid from the Recycling Grant, will be requested after each trip.
* The transfer from Child Support to Public Assistance as follows: from Administrative Account to Public Assistance Account, in the amount of $10,737.59.
* The establishment of a new line item in the Right-To-Know fund as follows: Right-To-Know, Transfers Out; and the authorization of a modification as follows: from Training to Transfers Out, in the amount of $2,500, and from Planning & Exercise to Transfers Out, in the amount of $1,500; and the authorization of a transfer as follows: from Right-To-Know, Transfers Out, to Emergency Management, which will offset expenses in the
Emergency Management fund.
* The authorization of additional appropriation to Victim Witness budget as follows: from Unappropriated Funds to Court Fines & Fees, in the amount of $94.07.[[In-content Ad]]