Commissioners wish Hodson well; meet with county engineer on Carl Smith Drive project
Lead Summary
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Highland County Recorder Dwight “Ike” Hodson met with the Highland County Board of Commissioners April 27 to inform the board his resignation will be effective Saturday, April 30.
As reported at www.highlandcountypress.com earlier this week, Hodson will be sworn in by Judge Kevin Greer as the new Highland County Clerk of Courts on Monday, May 2 at 9 a.m. in the Common Pleas Courtroom.
“I appreciate all your help,” Hodson told the commissioners.
“Congratulations,” Commission President Shane Wilkin told Hodson. “I’m sure you will do a fine job as clerk of courts.”
• In other business, commissioners agreed to work with Ryan McCoy of Spyglass, a telecommunications expense management firm.
According to McCoy, Spyglass would assess the county’s local telephone, Internet and long-distance services, excluding the Highland County Sheriff’s Office 911 service.
“We would negotiate with TimeWarner (the county’s telephone service provider) for fair market rates,” McCoy said, adding that there may be “cost recovery opportunities” for the county. Spyglass would be paid through these cost recoveries.
“If there’s no savings, there’s no fee,” McCoy said.
The county agreed to provide two months of invoices for Spyglass’ review, after which a follow-up meeting will be scheduled.
Highland County Engineer Dean Otworth and Michelle Throckmorton of the Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission (OVRDC) updated commissioners on the financing possibilities for the Hobart Drive/Carl Smith Drive access road project.
“Design-wise, everything is moving forward,” Otworth said.
Otworth discussed the planned improvements to U.S. 62, S.R. 73 and Careytown Road, as well as the timing of traffic signals on Harry Sauner Road and other routes in the area on the city’s north side.
Throckmorton explained several funding possibilities on the state and federal levels.
Wilkin also mentioned this week’s announcement of the Phase I expansion at PAS Technologies in Hillsboro, which will bring approximately 40 new jobs.
“If the announcement (for job creation) is there, the state commitment will be there,” Throckmorton said. “From past experience, they will want to put their money into it so they can brag about it and say ‘Look what we did.’”
Throckmorton calculated that the project could receive $2,750,000 in state and federal money. “$2.7 million for a $3.7 million project is really good,” she said.
“I really need every bit of help I can get (with funding),” Otworth noted.
Throckmorton also asked commissioners if PAS Technologies was planning additional jobs in the future.
“Phase II is 130 jobs,” Wilkin said.
“That’s wonderful,” Throckmorton responded.
“PAS is looking at a substantial investment in their plant,” Wilkin said, if the Phase II proposal comes to fruition in Highland County.
• In correspondence between Highland County Coroner Dr. Paul Terrell and Highland County Auditor Bill Fawley, the coroner requested explanation on his bi-weekly compensation.
In an April 21 letter, Terrell said, “I am assuming 26 pay periods a year and an Ohio Revised Code-mandated compensation of $28,112, annually. Simple arithmetic shows $28,112/26 =$1,081.28 per paycheck. Your statement shows $1,078.28 per paycheck, a difference of $2.95 per paycheck.”
In his response dated April 26, Fawley said “We calculate elected officials’ payroll on a daily basis, rather than the 26 pays. Therefore, we divide the annual salary by 365 days.
“The pay for one day only is $28,112/365 = $77.02; $77.02 x 14 = $1,078.28.”
Terrell, in a follow-up letter on April 26 to Fawley, said: “The compensation amount of $28,112 for the Highland County coroner has remained unchanged for the last four years and I have not changed any deductions in the last 10 years.”
In light of that, Terrell said payroll reports for 2010 and 2011 do not match. “2010 is listed as $1,078.28 and 2011 as $1,081.23.”
The coroner has requested clarification on the two years’ earnings and other issues.[[In-content Ad]]
As reported at www.highlandcountypress.com earlier this week, Hodson will be sworn in by Judge Kevin Greer as the new Highland County Clerk of Courts on Monday, May 2 at 9 a.m. in the Common Pleas Courtroom.
“I appreciate all your help,” Hodson told the commissioners.
“Congratulations,” Commission President Shane Wilkin told Hodson. “I’m sure you will do a fine job as clerk of courts.”
• In other business, commissioners agreed to work with Ryan McCoy of Spyglass, a telecommunications expense management firm.
According to McCoy, Spyglass would assess the county’s local telephone, Internet and long-distance services, excluding the Highland County Sheriff’s Office 911 service.
“We would negotiate with TimeWarner (the county’s telephone service provider) for fair market rates,” McCoy said, adding that there may be “cost recovery opportunities” for the county. Spyglass would be paid through these cost recoveries.
“If there’s no savings, there’s no fee,” McCoy said.
The county agreed to provide two months of invoices for Spyglass’ review, after which a follow-up meeting will be scheduled.
Highland County Engineer Dean Otworth and Michelle Throckmorton of the Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission (OVRDC) updated commissioners on the financing possibilities for the Hobart Drive/Carl Smith Drive access road project.
“Design-wise, everything is moving forward,” Otworth said.
Otworth discussed the planned improvements to U.S. 62, S.R. 73 and Careytown Road, as well as the timing of traffic signals on Harry Sauner Road and other routes in the area on the city’s north side.
Throckmorton explained several funding possibilities on the state and federal levels.
Wilkin also mentioned this week’s announcement of the Phase I expansion at PAS Technologies in Hillsboro, which will bring approximately 40 new jobs.
“If the announcement (for job creation) is there, the state commitment will be there,” Throckmorton said. “From past experience, they will want to put their money into it so they can brag about it and say ‘Look what we did.’”
Throckmorton calculated that the project could receive $2,750,000 in state and federal money. “$2.7 million for a $3.7 million project is really good,” she said.
“I really need every bit of help I can get (with funding),” Otworth noted.
Throckmorton also asked commissioners if PAS Technologies was planning additional jobs in the future.
“Phase II is 130 jobs,” Wilkin said.
“That’s wonderful,” Throckmorton responded.
“PAS is looking at a substantial investment in their plant,” Wilkin said, if the Phase II proposal comes to fruition in Highland County.
• In correspondence between Highland County Coroner Dr. Paul Terrell and Highland County Auditor Bill Fawley, the coroner requested explanation on his bi-weekly compensation.
In an April 21 letter, Terrell said, “I am assuming 26 pay periods a year and an Ohio Revised Code-mandated compensation of $28,112, annually. Simple arithmetic shows $28,112/26 =$1,081.28 per paycheck. Your statement shows $1,078.28 per paycheck, a difference of $2.95 per paycheck.”
In his response dated April 26, Fawley said “We calculate elected officials’ payroll on a daily basis, rather than the 26 pays. Therefore, we divide the annual salary by 365 days.
“The pay for one day only is $28,112/365 = $77.02; $77.02 x 14 = $1,078.28.”
Terrell, in a follow-up letter on April 26 to Fawley, said: “The compensation amount of $28,112 for the Highland County coroner has remained unchanged for the last four years and I have not changed any deductions in the last 10 years.”
In light of that, Terrell said payroll reports for 2010 and 2011 do not match. “2010 is listed as $1,078.28 and 2011 as $1,081.23.”
The coroner has requested clarification on the two years’ earnings and other issues.[[In-content Ad]]