Governor's liaison meets with commissioners

Sherri Carbo, the southwest Ohio regional liaison for Ohio Gov. John Kasich, met with Highland County commissioners Shane Wilkin, Tom Horst and Jeremy Shaffer Wednesday, Feb. 12.

Carbo told commissioners "some good things are happening" in Ohio and cited small business incentives and tax cuts enacted under the Kasich administration.

Carbo referenced a recent report from the American Legislative Exchange Council (www.alec.org) which she said indicated Ohio had the "largest year-to-year tax cut."

"That's good news," Carbo said. "The state's credit rating is up. Ohio has seen its largest number of new business filings. Business retention and expansion are up. Wages are up – and growing twice as fast as the national rate."

Carbo touted the LeanOhio (http://lean.ohio.gov) program, which is designed to make government services in Ohio "simpler, faster, better, and less costly (by) using continuous improvement methods such as Lean and Six Sigma…"

LeanOhio is coordinated by the LeanOhio Office, within the Ohio Department of Administrative Services. Office associates are Lean experts who serve as internal consultants. Services include training, strategic planning, meeting facilitation, data collection and analysis, and Lean event leadership.

Carbo encouraged commissioners to implement local government collaborations in order to reduce expenses.

"We've been doing that," Shaffer advised.

When Carbo asked commissioners about any concerns or questions, Wilkin addressed the cuts in local government funding from the state.

"The reduction of local government funds is not being offset by casino revenues (as the state had projected)," Wilkin said. "The addition of the 'racinos' is not divided among the counties."

"I know you've tightened your belts a lot," Carbo said.

"We are at the least amount we can get in local government funding," Wilkin said.

Especially hard hit with these cuts are Highland County's townships which share in local government funding, but do not receive an equal portion of the casino revenues.

"I hear mostly from townships as well," Carbo said. "We encourage shared services."

In a recent editorial by Hamilton County Auditor Dusty Rhodes, published in The Highland County Press and initially in The Cincinnati Enquirer, the longtime auditor said:

"The present policy of the state of Ohio is to fatten its purse at the expense of local governments. It isn’t surprising that the hefty balances in the 'rainy day fund' almost exactly match the amount that has been taken from the local government fund over the past two years. This was done by the current administration and a compliant Legislature while encouraging us to tighten our belts with 'shared services' and 'conservative government.'"

Prior to closing her meeting, Carbo was asked by Horst if the governor's office would reach out to the new owners of one of Highland County's largest employers, Candle-lite in Leesburg.

Its parent company, Lancaster Colony Corporation of Columbus, announced last month that, as part of its strategic alternative review of nonfood operations, it has sold effectively all the net operating assets of its candle manufacturing and marketing operations.

The buyer was identified as an affiliate of Centre Lane Partners, LLC, a New York private investment firm.

"I'd like to see the governor's office offer all the help they can," Horst said. "I'd like them to reach out to the new owners."

"Are they talking about making it more lean?" Carbo asked.

"We don't know," Wilkin said. "We're being told it could be a very good thing."

"We need to get you in there," Horst said.

Carbo said she would get in touch with Katy Farber of the Appalachian Partnership for Economic Growth, which is a subsidiary of the Ohio Appalachian Business Council, and schedule a meeting at Candle-lite.

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• After some discussion, commissioners agreed to a request to waive the monthly sewer fee for Harold Kearns, 7085 Highland Trail, Hillsboro, on a vacant property near Rocky Fork Lake.

"I think we have to stop doing this," Horst said of the requests to waive the monthly service fees. "We can't operate it (the Rocky Fork Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant) without money."

Wilkin suggested the county may have to look at a plan similar to the Highland County Water Company and implement a service fee and usage fee.

"We may have to go with a split charge for operations and debt," Horst said. "It didn't look like a big deal five years ago, but it's starting to be a drain on general revenue monies."

Commissioners agreed by a 3-0 vote to approve this request, but said they would meet with the prosecutor and look at possible changes before approving future waivers.

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Bid openings

• Commissioners opened several bids on culvert replacement projects. Projects are scheduled for Gath, Abernathy, Stringtown, Pence and Polk roads.

Highland County Engineer Dean Otworth will review the bids and make his recommendations to the board.

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• Commissioners awarded a contract to Brad Roades of Landscapes and Outer Spaces in the amount of $3,390 for the construction and wiring of a room for computer information technology at the Highland County Courthouse.

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Annexation decision Feb. 19

As a public reminder, commissioners announced that a final decision on the proposed property annexations in Madison Township will be 9 a.m. Feb. 19.

The properties are:

• Nine acres on South Seventh Street (state Route 753);

• 702 South Seventh Street; and,

• 814 South Seventh Street.

* * *

Board appointment

• Commissioners appointed Tricia Collins to the Highland Metropolitan Housing Authority Board.

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Resolutions

The following resolutions were approved, each by a 3-0 vote:

• A request from Highland County Court for an additional appropriation into the County Court Telephone Service Expense in the amount of $89.95.

• A request to waive the monthly sewer fee for Harold Kearns, 7085 Highland Trail, Hillsboro.

• A request from the Highland County Engineer for additional appropriation from unappropriated funds to Engineer Budget in the amount of $22,381.34.

• A request from the Highland County Board of DD for appropriation from unappropriated funds to Board of Developmental Disabilities Budget, Transfers Out for $250,000 and a request for transfer from Board of DD Transfers Out to Community Residential.

• A request from the Highland County Common Pleas Court for a modification within the Youth Services Fund in the amount of $1,000.