Highland County surpasses $3.2M in permissive sales tax receipts through April

Highland County commissioners David Daniels, Terry Britton and Brad Roades reviewed the year-to-date permissive sales tax receipt report at their April 24 meeting, as the county has topped $3.2 million in receipts on the year and is continuing to surpass expectations.

Although Auditor Alex Butler was not in attendance Wednesday, he submitted the report to commissioners, which reflects a 4.1-percent increase for the first four months of the year compared to 2023 ($3,242,936.29 in 2024 vs. $3,111,409.67 in 2023), and a 5.8-percent increase over last April’s receipts ($719,083.64 in 2024 vs. $679,258.42 in 2023).

Thus far in 2024, the county has seen increases over the previous year’s monthly totals each month, and going back to December 2023, that streak is at five months. 

Not only are receipts continuing to hold steady, but this month’s numbers are particularly significant because April is generally one of the lowest months for tax receipts; in 2023 and 2022, it was the lowest figure for the entire year. Although the “six-figure drop” from March to April predicted by Butler at commissioners’ March 22 meeting came true (receipts are down $170,185.37 in one month), the April 2024 total is still the highest-ever for April listed in the nine-year spreadsheet provided by the auditor.

With this monthly number surpassing $719,000, the county has not had monthly totals under $700,000 since last April. Although whether Butler’s prediction that totals will eventually plateau is yet to be seen for the total year, thus far in 2024 the county is on track for another record. 

The county has collected annual record totals for four straight years, including $7.5 million in 2020, which increased to $8.8 million in 2021, $9.2 million in 2022 and $9.3 million in 2023.

In an unrelated financial update, Highland County Treasurer Vickie Warnock conducted an investment advisory committee meeting with commissioners Wednesday, where she reported on the first-quarter interest for 2024.

The March 2024 totals, as presented by Warnock, included:

• STAR Ohio: $30,711.08 interest, currently at a 5.46-percent interest rate, with a $6,753,818.13 balance;

• STAR Plus: $11,357.97 interest, 4.05-percent interest rate, $3,371,429.41 balance;

• Fifth Third (CDs): $10,829.74 interest, 2.34-percent average interest rate, $11,032,695.45 balance;

• Checking account: $40,394.32 interest, 5.2-percent interest rate, $10,257,004 balance; and

• ICS account: $165,458.73 interest, 5.46-percent interest rate, $37,182,626.89 balance.

For the quarter, Warnock reported a total of $622,429.13 in interest collected.

Daniels questioned why the Fifth Third CD interest rates are going “down the last two months. 

“When are those coming due?” he asked.

“We have some that comes due probably like every six months,” Warnock said. “It could be that some had come due and we had reinvested them, because this is just an average of all of the CDs together. It may be that some had come due and we reinvested them.”

Daniels asked, “Wouldn't we expect now for that number to go up slightly if we're reinvesting at today's rate?”

Warnock said that she could provide “a breakdown of all of the rates and when they're coming due.

“It may be too that if some has come due and we haven't reinvested them yet, they're sitting in just like a mutual fund type and getting an interest rate at that instead of an actual CD rate,” she said.

No changes were recommended, as Warnock and commissioners agreed the current rates are good, and Warnock said that another bank was interested in working with them but “couldn’t match” what they are currently receiving. 

In other discussion:

• Commissioners said that they had a “wonderful” experience at the inaugural Highland County Legislative Day at the Ohio Statehouse, held Thursday, April 18.

As reported by Highland County Economic Development Director Julie Bolender, Highland County elected officials and nonprofit, education and business leaders attended the event, meeting with Drew Cooper, Jobs Ohio Director of Government Affairs; OhioSE VP Katy Farber; Director of Ohio Department of Education and Workforce Stephen Dackin; Director of Ohio Department of Development Lydia Mihalik; Director of Ohio Department of Agriculture Brian Baldridge; Lt. Governor Jon Husted; Representative Bob Peterson; and Senator Shane Wilkin. Guests also enjoyed a tour of the historic Ohio Statehouse.

“Most importantly, we met with JobsOhio, and they talked to us about what's going on and what they're doing,” Daniels said. “The Department of Development, we met with the director, and she was talking about the opportunities that we’ve got through their office and some of the grant programs that are available with water and sewer, and also talked about the timeline for some of the things that we've been working on Appalachian Community Grant money. 

“The lieutenant governor came in and talked about workforce and what they're doing, and what we can be doing, to help get people up to speed.”

For example, Daniels cited the TechCred program, which “helps businesses address their workforce needs by upskilling current and prospective employees,” according to the Lt. Governor’s Office. “Businesses of all sizes, from any industry, are eligible for up to $30,000 per round and up to $180,000 per year.”

Individuals and training providers interested in learning more about the program can visit TechCred.Ohio.Gov.

Britton said he felt that expanding their existing partnership with local schools, including finding ways to expand opportunities for career/technical education, was an important avenue discussed.
 
“I think the one takeaway I had from it was we still have a lot of work to do for our workforce development, especially with the school systems,” Britton said. “Not that we’re not doing some good thing, but I think we still need some more focus on that.”

Daniels added that Dackin outlined "some of the really interesting things that other school districts have done with not only beginning pathways to college, but also career tech, and some of the things that were going on in that space within some local high schools. 

“It was kind of eye-opening,” Daniels said. “Not that we don't have those components here now. It's just the way they were being delivered. It was good information.”

Roades said that for many Highland Countians in attendance, it was also their first trip to the Statehouse. “That alone was great, for people to see their government legislation at work,” he said.

• At 9:30 a.m., commissioners conducted a bid opening for grinder pump cores, controls and appurtenances. The county received two bids: one from Covalen, in the amount of $384,852; and one from Crane Pumps and Systems, in the amount of $314,500.

Commissioners expect to award the project at their May 1 meeting, Daniels said.  

• Commissioners agreed, via resolution, to set the time and date for a public alley viewing on Wednesday, May 8 at 10 a.m. and a public hearing on Wednesday, May 8 at 11 a.m. in the Highland County Commissioners Office. 

The resolution was in response to a petition filed by Hamer Township Trustees to vacate one alley in Danville, approximately 661 feet long, located east of Danville Road, starting south of PN 20-19-100-023.00 from PN 20-19-100-025.00 to PN 20-19-100-033.00.

• Commissioners approved a sub-grant agreement between commissioners and the Greater Ohio Workforce Board, Inc, for program years 2024 and 2025.

“We find out how much we get at the end of May or first of June when they send out the award letter,” Daniels said. 

• Britton noted that April 24 was Administrative Professionals’ Day, as well as commission clerk Mary Remsing’s birthday. On behalf of the commission, he thanked Remsing and clerk Ashleigh Willey for their work. 

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