Commissioners hear 'Moose on the Loose' update from Chamber; discuss local energy projects

Highland County commissioners Terry Britton, David Daniels and Brad Roades issued a proclamation in honor of Small Business Saturday during their Wednesday, Nov. 4 meeting, as they heard updates from Highland County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jamie Wheeler on the return of the Chamber’s popular “Moose on the Loose” campaign. 

Wheeler and Chamber Member Engagement Specialist Amber Dunseith, who were accompanied by board members Julie Bolender, Amanda Hall and Heather Hughes as well as the famous Marvin the Moose, distributed copies of a new children’s book featuring Marvin and discussed this year’s holiday shopping campaign. 

Wheeler said this is the fourth year of the Marvin the Moose promotion, as Marvin spends the months of November and December visiting Chamber businesses to encourage the community to shop local. His schedule this year includes banks, funeral homes, government agencies, medical offices, real estate offices, restaurants, retail stores, salons, schools, venues and more. To follow his journey in person and/or on social media, check Marvin’s schedule at https://chambermaster.blob.core.windows.net/userfiles/UserFiles/chamber….

Also this year, in a continuation of the popular summertime scavenger hunt sponsored by the Visitors Bureau, the Chamber and Visitors Bureau are teaming up for the “Marvin the Moose Hiking Around Highland County” contest on the Goose Chase app. Participants can complete “missions” around the county for a chance to win prizes at the end of the holiday season. Wheeler said that participants are encouraged to follow Marvin on his journey around the county by finding him at these area businesses.  

“This is just a good opportunity for us to do a little bit of extra recognition to our businesses that support him, and he gets to do a lot of behind-the-scenes action that we don't always see,” Wheeler said. 

Wheeler added that a life-size Marvin will also be in attendance at several holiday events this year, including the City of Hillsboro’s uptown Christmas on Dec. 4 and Main Street Greenfield’s cookie walk on Dec. 5. Children can stop by to meet Marvin, get their picture taken with him and receive a free copy of Marvin’s new book.

For more information and to follow Marvin’s journey, visit www.thehighlandchamber.com.

Commissioners thanked Wheeler for the updates and for her continued efforts to promote local businesses.

“You guys work very hard at helping the community and all the businesses here in the uptown and all throughout the county,” Britton said. “I know Marvin is just another little boost for that.”

Britton read the proclamation recognizing Nov. 28 as Small Business Saturday in Highland County and “encouraging residents to support local by visiting, shopping, dining and doing business in Highland County.”

In other discussion:

• Commissioners discussed several renewable energy projects, as Daniels announced that Juliana Graham-Price of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio notified them of the meeting schedule for the proposed Barr Energy battery storage facility. 

As previously reported, the up to 200MW Barr Energy project being proposed will encompass approximately 35 acres on Mad River Road in New Market Township, near state Route 138. If approved, this would be NextEra Energy Resources’ first battery storage facility in Ohio, as they already own and operate 50 sites across the U.S. and Canada, according to their website. Its application with the state was filed in September.

“The public hearing for the Barr Energy storage project will be held on December 15 at 6 p.m. at Southern State Community College lecture hall, Room 107,” Daniels said. “This is the in-county hearing that is available to all residents and open to the public to come and express their concerns.

“An evidentiary hearing is scheduled for January 12, 2027 in Columbus at the office of the Public Utilities Commission at 180 East Broad Street.”

Commissioners also said they received, and replied to, an email from an individual named Jen Lynch seeking a copy of the county’s solar policy. They said they would also be responding to a further question from Lynch on the “eight-percent cap” in the legislation. The commission’s policy is to “consider requiring a reduction of the geography size of a large solar facility” if said facility “would cause the aggregate acreage inside the perimeter fencing of all solar facilities in the township in which it is proposed to be located to exceed eight percent of the total acreage of said township.” 

On another separate renewable energy matter, Amanda Mack of REV Renewables was in attendance at Wednesday’s meeting, as Daniels said he has “met privately” with her as well. According to their website, “REV has one of the nation’s largest independent portfolios of clean energy generation and storage, with a 2.9 GW operating portfolio and a substantial development pipeline.”

Mack said that she was “observing” the commissioners meeting as the company is looking into a potential 200-megawatt battery storage project in the area, unrelated to the Barr Energy and other facilities in various stages of development.

“It was originally intended to be a solar project, but it was kind of along the border of Highland County and Adams County, with all of the solar being in Adams County,” Mack said. “Now that solar’s gone away, and we're looking at this property for a battery storage project.”

In response to a question from Britton, Mack said that if they move forward, the battery storage facility would all be contained “in Highland County,” not Adams.

• Following an executive session at 10 a.m. to discuss employee discipline, commissioners voted 3-0 to accept the resignation of county Human Resources director Amy Bradley, effective Nov. 3.

• Commissioners approved several quotes, all for the kitchen at the Highland County Justice Center; at the recommendation of Cierra Moore of the county’s maintenance department.

Items approved included a quote from Stillwater Fire Protection in the amount of $1,130 to clean the kitchen hood; a quote from Cintas in the amount of $4,107 for two suppression system checks in 2027; and a $3,000 quote from Tech24 for steamer and ice machine cleaning and maintenance checks in 2027. 

• Roades reported on the ongoing phase one courthouse improvements, as there are currently “two by sixes across the pillars” in the front of the courthouse.

“They're getting ready to take out one of the pillars so that they can remove the stone base and take the stone base in to get prefabricated to match all the other bases,” Roades said. “All the bases, all the columns, will be replaced.”

Later on Wednesday, commissioners met with WDC Group architects to discuss the second phase of courthouse renovations. According to commission clerk Ashleigh Willey, “Commissioners reviewed the preliminary plan and cost estimate and will now be setting up meetings with the Prosecutor and Probation to review the proposed space within the new layout of the old jail.”

• Commissioners announced that their meeting schedule has changed for the next two weeks, as they will be meeting Tuesday, Nov. 10 and Tuesday, Nov. 17 in lieu of their regular Wednesday meetings and Monday work sessions. 

• Commissioners said they would be attending the RPHF Solid Waste District’s year-end board meeting, which included a tour of Rumpke’s recycling plant in Columbus, on Nov. 5.

Commissioners also made the following approvals, each by a 3-0 vote:

• A change order for the 2026 Highland County chip/seal program, reflecting an increase of $9,256.48.

• The execution of GIS cleanup services by CMT for the Next Generation 911 implementation in the amount of $7,400.

• An estimated price increase for the Highland County Airport hangar project in the amount of $11,987. 

• The approval of Revolving Loan Fund assistance for the Highco courtyard project in the amount of $9,552.36. 

• A quote from Harless Tree Care, the apparent low bidder, in the amount of $1,050 for the removal of ash trees at the county dog pound.

• A resolution to authorize a “then and now” purchase order and to authorize the county auditor to issue warrants for payment.