Commissioners proclaim April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month
By Rory Ryan
The Highland County Press
The Highland County Board of Commissioners signed a proclamation for the Alternatives to Violence Center during their April 15 meeting. Commissioners Shane Wilkin, Tom Horst and Jeff Duncan proclaimed April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month in Highland County.
Julie Brassel, Dara Gullette, Peggy Lang, Elizabeth Crabtree and Hillsboro Police Officer Jeff Murphy accepted the presentation.
Wilkin said it is “critical to foster greater public awareness of the causes and effects of sexual assault,” as he read the proclamation.
Alternatives to Violence Center Director Julie Brassel updated commissioners on the center’s events, including its fourth annual Tea for Tweens, Teens and Queens, which will be held Saturday, May 2 from 9-11:30 a.m.
The event will be held at the Hillsboro High School gymnasium, located at 550 U.S. 62, Hillsboro. The theme of the event is “See Something, Say Something – Don’t Be A Bystander!”
The event is free and open to females ages 11 and up. The first 50 guests through the doors will receive a gift bag of pampering goodies.
The event will include brunch and activities focused on teen dating violence awareness. Pampering stations will include massage, hair, nails, waxing and jewelry making. There will also be many door prizes.
This is sponsored by the Hillsboro Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 1161 and the Cassner Foundation.
For more information on the tea or services that AVC provides, contact the Hillsboro office at (937) 393-8118 or go to http://www.avconline.us.
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Leesburg Lions Club celebrates 75 years
• Commissioners also signed a proclamation for the 75th anniversary of the Leesburg Lions Club and its commitment to community service. Charlie Newland accepted the proclamation on behalf of the Lions Club.
The Leesburg Lions Club is the oldest Lions Club in Highland County, receiving its charter in February 1940. A celebration and dinner will be held at the Leesburg fire station beginning at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, April 18. Past International Director William Hansen will be the guest speaker.
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• Grow! Highland County Enterprise Facilitator Peter Pence and Project Management Team board member Fiona Pendell met with commissioners for an overview of the program and a follow-up request for $5,000 over a three-year period.
Pence explained that the local program is a “one-of-a-kind organization in the state of Ohio.”
“Other counties are looking at our model for entrepreneurs and small businesses,” Pence said.
Grow! Highland County provides confidential services involving business product, marketing and finance. Thus far, Pence said, 81 full-time jobs in Highland County are related to efforts provided by Grow! Highland County.
“This has a beneficial impact on the local economy,” Pence said. “While we would all like to see a major manufacturer for job creation, the reality is the best we can do is focus on what we have and foster entrepreneurism.”
Grow! Highland County is based in the Scott House on West Main Street in Hillsboro and was initially funded by a USDA grant. Local governments and businesses have allocated funds, as well.
“Our top priority is to make Grow! Highland County self-sustaining,” Pence told the board.
Pendell said they are “looking at fund-raising ideas, including possible funding from the commissioners’ office.”
Pendell pointed that commissioners had previously indicated they wanted Grow! Highland County to have a new facilitator in place prior to making a commitment of tax dollars.
“I know we did talk about this at one time,” Wilkin said. “We can look at this as we review the budget.”
No action was taken on the request.
For more information on Grow! Highland County, call (937) 403-1488 or email pete_pence@yahoo.com.
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• Rhonda Fannin and Amy Rhoads of Highland County Continuum of Care met with commissioners and followed up on the county’s housing response plan for approximately 150 homeless people in any given year.
Highland County Continuum of Care began in 2012 as an extension of the Highland County Community Resource Council, which began in 2011.
The Continuum of Care vision is to “end homelessness.”
To that end, Fannin informed the commissioners of a recent grant application for a housing relief plan through the Ohio Balance of State. The Continuum of Care grant seeks funding for 10 “permanent supportive housing” units.
“Are these temporary or permanent?” Wilkin asked.
“They are permanent,” Fannin said.
The Continuum of Care housing response plan involves providing income-based supportive housing and project-based transitional housing.
Fannin said a meeting is scheduled at the North High Business Center conference room for 2 p.m. Thursday, April 16 with the One-Stop Center and she invited the board to attend.
For more on Highland County Continuum of Care, go to the Highland County Homeless Shelter website at http://hcshelter.org.
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• Commissioners also discussed building maintenance issues at the Justice Center and the Hi-TEC Center, as well as an agreement for donated office space for Ohio Means Jobs.
Prior to the meeting’s adjournment, Highland County Auditor Bill Fawley asked commissioners to remind all county employees to sign up and participate in the annual health screenings in order to maintain the county’s insurance discount.