Commissioners issue Child Abuse Prevention Month proclamation

Highland County commissioners Terry Britton, David Daniels and Brad Roades issued a proclamation in recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month at their Wednesday, April 1 meeting.

Accepting the proclamation were several representatives of the Highland County Children Services agency, including Job & Family Services Director Jeremy Ratcliff, placement and adoption supervisor Mariah Collier, ongoing case worker Casey Cook, kinship support worker Rhea Gregory, social services administrator Stephanie Kelley and intake investigator Jennifer Storer.

“Much like all the divisions of JFS, there's a lot of good people out there working really hard behind the scenes,” Ratcliff said of the Children Services staff. “All of those folks serve different roles within that unit, but they're all serving kids and families in some way in Highland County.”

Britton thanked the Children Services staff for their work.

“I know that's a tough job,” Britton said. “I can say that's a daily job that not everybody is cut out for, but you guys do an excellent job, and we appreciate all that you do.”

According to Prevent Child Abuse America (preventchildabuse.org), “Child Abuse Prevention Month shines a national spotlight on the importance of centering families and building communities where children can grow up safe, healthy, and supported. Prevention happens when families have access to the resources, relationships, and supports they need to stay steady through every twist and turn of life.

“When communities invest in prevention, each turn of support unlocks new possibilities and stronger foundations for children and families.”

After meeting with the Children Services representatives, Britton read the proclamation recognizing April as Child Abuse Prevention Month.

“During the month of April, Prevent Child Abuse will be engaging communities throughout Ohio to coordinate effort to prevent child abuse and neglect by promoting awareness of health, child development, positive parenting practices and the types of concrete support families need within these communities,” Britton read from the proclamation. “[We] urge all residents to engage in activities whose purpose is to strengthen families and communities and provide the optimal environment for healthy child development.”

To report suspected child abuse and/or neglect, you can call (937) 393-3111. You can find answers to frequently asked questions about the reporting process, as well as more information about the Child Protection unit and details on how to become a foster or adoptive parent, at http://www.highlandjfs.org.

In other discussion:

• Two Highland County commissioners and the county engineer engaged in a heated exchange, as the engineer said commissioners removed a $1 million grant from his truck barn project and commissioners repeatedly evaded questions on when and how the decision was made. For more, see: https://highlandcountypress.com/news/updated-never-seen-anything-engine….

• Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins, who serves as the commissioners’ attorney, advised the board to file a police report on damage to a door at the Hi-TEC building.

In between the discussion items on the agenda and their meeting with the engineer, commissioners began asking Cierra Moore of the county’s maintenance department for recommendations on price quotes for repairing or replacing the door. Roades mentioned that “the damage was brought on by someone.”

“An individual came in, was upset with something he didn't like, and forced it with a lot of might, and it did a lot of damage,” Moore said. 

Collins asked where the incident occurred, and Moore told her it was at the Hi-TEC building.

“We do have some information on that, and we probably need to show that you,” Britton said to Collins.

“I’m wondering if anybody reported it to law enforcement,” Collins said.

“I don’t remember,” Britton said.

Daniels asked when the incident occurred, and Moore said it was a few weeks or a month ago. Collins pointed out that they could get restitution if they press charges, and commission clerk Ashleigh Willey said they have security footage of the incident.

“If you guys want to try to file charges, you need to call law enforcement,” Collins said. “You need to call the city police. Do we think that did happen?”

Roades said he would check to see if anyone contacted the police, and Collins repeated that “if they charged [the individual] with a crime, then you guys can get restitution.”

“We pay for it first, and get the repairs done, and then we’ll know what that was, and then ask for it,” Daniels said.

“Yeah, but don’t do anything else until they can get pictures of the door,” Collins said. “The very next thing to do, before anything else, is to contact law enforcement.”

Britton said they would “table” the vote on repairing the door until then.

• A bid opening was held at 9:15 a.m. for the Highco courtyard project.

As previously reported, commissioners voted last May to submit an application from Highco for Community Development Block Grant funding. The proposal is for an outdoor space for an autism center courtyard, with swings and other equipment, according to CDBG coordinator Mary Remsing.

The county previously received a bid from Midwest Building and Supply in the amount of $212,000 and one from Dance Excavating in the amount of $144,265 in February.

This time, only one bid was received, from Dance Excavating, in the amount of $108,500. Remsing and architect Doug Karnes said they would review the bid and issue a recommendation for commissioners to consider at their April 8 meeting. 

• Highland County Auditor Alex Butler said that Highland and Clinton County officials are working to address an ongoing issue with properties on the county line that are being taxed by the wrong counties.

“Apparently this has kind of been an issue for about 50 years,” Butler said. “It just came to my attention about a month ago.”

• Highland County Sheriff Randy Sanders reported that the sheriff’s office is close to finalizing a contract with Highland District Hospital for security.

“They want to do a contract for work and coverage in the grounds for certain hours, 365 days a year,” Sanders said. “We’ve been working on six, seven months at least, and we're down to where we've got a good estimate of the numbers for them.

“We're looking for the hospital to pay for everything, for two officers, 365 days a year.”

Sanders said Collins has reviewed the contract, which the prosecutor said has been “revised a million times” during their ongoing discussions with the hospital’s administrators and counsel.

Sanders added that this will mean the sheriff’s office will be hiring two certified officers, and Chief Deputy Jennifer Schinkal said that once the contract is finalized, they will be able to provide more information on wages for applicants.

• Britton said that he spoke to Butler about a recent request for additional funding from Highland County EMA Director David Bushelman, which commissioners discussed at their March 25 meeting. Butler “will be taking care of” ensuring Bushelman gets the appropriate payment at the time of property tax settlement, Britton said.   

• Willey played two videos from the County Commissioners Association of Ohio in honor of April being National County Government Month. 

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

• A motion for the purchase of floor sealer/paint for the records storage building from Sherwin Williams. Roades said the cost would be approximately $3,200 for the materials, but they will also “need to find somebody now to do it really quick,” before equipment is moved in later in the month.

• A contract with JR Enterprises for the previously awarded project for new mezzanine railings at the Highland County Justice Center.

• A change order for alternate door changes at the Hi-TEC building.

• An annual service agreement with Tek84 for the whole body scanner at the Highland County Justice Center. 

• A resolution to declare items as no longer needed by the County and obsolete, pursuant to ORC 307-12(A)(1); therefore, the said board declares the listed items to be surplus property and no longer needed by
the County.

• A request from Probation for an additional appropriation from unappropriated funds within the 2615 CCA 2.0 FY24-25 fund in the amount of $136.84.

• A budget modification within the 2665 Specialized Docket Subs fund in the amount of $5,135.

• An additional appropriation from unappropriated funds within the 4220 Airport Capital Improvement fund in the amount of $865.63.

• A request from the Engineer for an additional appropriation from unappropriated funds within the 2065 Repair MVL fund in the amount of $19,600.

• A resolution to grant authorization for listed “then and now” purchase orders and authorizing the county auditor to issue warrants for their payment.

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