Permissive sales tax receipts see slight dip; solar issues again discussed on Highland County commissioners' agenda

Although permissive sales tax receipts are nearing $4 million on the year, Highland County commissioners David Daniels, Brad Roades and Terry Britton spoke about a potential “plateau” when discussing the monthly report at their Wednesday, May 22 meeting. 

For the first time this calendar year, the monthly permissive sales tax receipt total reflected a decrease from the same month in 2023, according to data shared by Highland County Auditor Alex Butler. Dating back to last year, this is the first time since November 2023 the county has seen a decrease.

The county collected $714,208.17 for May 2024, a 1.35-percent decrease from the $724,052.60 total in May 2023, Butler said.

“Although that's not what we'd like to see, it's not unprecedented,” the auditor said. “Over the last couple of years, if you look at ’21, ’22 and ’23, for the months of May, June, July, August — that has happened before. It's just not very common.”

Year to date, the county has collected a total of $3,957,144.46. The five-month total is a 3.1-percent increase over the same time span in 2023.

“I was reading Gongwer the other day, and I think that they've reported that state revenues are trending downward a little bit from where they have been,” Daniels said. “Seeing a dip isn’t cause for alarm yet but nevertheless, it could be the beginning of a trend.”

“Year to date, it’s essentially plateauing,” Butler added. “I don't anticipate a windfall, but it is plateauing and may be decreasing a very little bit.”

In another finance-related topic, Daniels said that commissioners were traveling to Columbus May 23 to meet with representatives of the Ohio Departments of Taxation and Development, as well as the Ohio Power Siting Board, “to discuss PILOT payment issues and issues with permitting some of the solar projects that are going on. 

“We have requested a meeting to kind of talk about some of the problems that we're experiencing and hopefully find solutions to some of those issues,” Daniels said. “Timelines, and reporting timelines on their end, when a project becomes operational, and then just general paper flow and traffic through those processes. I think it’s fair to say we've got a list.”

As previously reported, commissioners voted to issue a PILOT invoice for the New Market Solar project March 22, 2023. The first half-year payment of $450,000 was due April 20, 2023, according to the invoice.

The county was later informed that they would not be able to collect payment until “a certificate of verification” was issued by the state for the project.

In March, commissioners received a letter from Lynchburg-Clay superintendent Jack Fisher regarding his concerns about “a negative impact on the district’s funding,” which he perceives as being due to solar projects within the school district. 

In a letter to commissioners dated April 23, Innergex community and government relations representative Janet Grothe responded to Lynchburg-Clay’s concerns, saying that “Innergex has made no large land purchases in Highland County that would affect the District’s funding formulas.” 

Commissioners also apparently reached out to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio April 4 for an update on local solar projects, with Ohio Power Siting Board community liaison Juliana Graham-Price responding in a May 3 email.

According to the correspondences listed on the May 22 agenda, commissioners also received an update May 13 from Liberty Utilities regarding the New Market Solar project.

Senior Project Manager Yuri Otarov wrote that “To date, a majority of project construction for New Market Solar I and II is complete, pending work in certain areas, and both phases of the Project are generating clean renewable energy. New Market Solar will send a notification to adjacent property owners and tenants, and other interested parties once construction is complete.

“We appreciate your patience as construction of the Project nears completion.”

Otarov referred commissioners to the project website and OPSB case docket for further updates.

In other discussion: 

• As previously reported, Highland County Sheriff Donnie Barrera formally announced his retirement during the meeting. See more at: https://highlandcountypress.com/news/sheriff-donnie-barrera-announces-r….

• Commissioners held two separate bid openings Wednesday.

The first was held via BidExpress for the Highland County Engineer’s office for New Market Road reconstruction and resurfacing. According to the bid description, the project includes “linear grading 2.340 miles” of the road “four foot wide on each side,” as well as “asphalt resurfacing” and other repairs for “a total of 4.350 miles of resurfacing.” 

The county received bids from Miller-Mason Paving ($983,516), Fillmore Construction ($1,098,969.75), The Shelly Company ($1,209,758.75) and Cox Paving LLC ($1,240,843.76).

Deputy engineer Christian Dunlap said they are “holding these bids for up to 60 days,” as Fauber said they are awaiting the release of Ohio Public Works Commission funds for the project. However, Fauber said that all of the bids came in under estimate.

Later, commissioners opened bids for Clay Township park improvements and playground equipment. Two physical bids were submitted: one from Kiley Construction and Excavation in the amount of $199,283; and one from Fillmore Construction in the amount of $295,843, with various alternative bids also included.

No action was taken on those bids, either, as Daniels said they would be reviewing the proposals.

• Commissioners conducted a second hearing for the Community Housing Impact and Preservation (CHIP) program with Highland County Community Action Organization Julia Wise and housing director Jeanette Mottie at the start of their meeting.

As Wise told commissioners May 1, Highland County is due to apply to the Ohio Department of Development for the CHIP Program in 2024, as they submit applications every two years. The application is a partnership among the county, HCCAO and City of Hillsboro, she said.

Mottie said the applications are due June 20. 

“Our application is in progress,” Wise said Wednesday. “It's all online. Jeanette, our new housing director and Tara [Campbell, HCCAO deputy director] are working on it and preparing to get it submitted.”

Daniels said that Campbell sent them a letter “asking the auditor to appoint the same auditors for your program” and asked Wise for the reasoning.

“It happened back in 1990, but all Community Action agencies with over $500,000 has to have a single agency-wide audit,” Wise said. “The thought back then was then we wouldn't have all these audits going on for all of our programs. One central auditor would come in and do it.

“We have used S.R. Snodgrass, and I think the board members have talked to him before, but he is our agency-wide auditor. We will obviously utilize him again. We have to rebid it every five years, but this is our last year to be able to use him without it going out to bid, so we are going to use him again.”

Commissioners said they had no opposition to that request. 

There was no public comment at the hearing.

• After their regular meeting, commissioners met later on Wednesday with Dave Brown of Brown Raybourn, the county’s health insurance broker. Daniels told The Highland County Press that the commission approved a change to their employee health care plan.

“Last year, the county entered a renewal for a two-year period at a 15-percent increase each of the two years,” Daniels said. “The insurance carriers came back and lowered the 15 percent from this year down to six percent. We agreed to take that rate and extend that for a year, so instead of 15 percent for this year, it will drop to six percent.” 

Daniels said that they also accepted a quote from Superior Dental at the same premium rate.

• After their regular meeting, commissioners held an executive session to discuss confidential business information related to economic development assistance applications. No action was taken, according to Daniels.

Commissioners made the following approvals Wednesday:

• A revised elevator contract with Schindler Custom Elevator Company for work at the Highland County Courthouse and Administration Building. Daniels said that the county issued a check for a previously approved contract, but “Schindler gave us the wrong PO Box, so it was returned,” and the county had to issue a new check.

• An annual CSEA IV-D Contract among commissioners, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Highland County Child Support Enforcement Agency and Highland County Common Pleas Court.

• A resolution requested from the Board of Elections for the creation of a new fund – Greenfield Special Election (2080) with an attached list of line items.

• A resolution to authorize the sale of $1 to Sheriff Donald E. Barrera, for his retirement weapon, as he is scheduled to retire on May 31, and to which the property is valued at less than $2,500 each for the Highland County Sheriff’s Office.

• A resolution to authorize the Highland County Engineer to enter into a contract for the lease purchase of two 2025 Western Star 47X Tandem trucks from Fyda Freightliner. Said lease purchase agreement shall be for a period of four years at 5.25 percent through Merchants National Bank and not exceed $582,136.

• A budget modification within the 1000 General Fund in the amount of $2,500.

• An additional appropriation from unanticipated revenue within the Healthy Aging Grant (2265) fund in the amount of $3,806.

• A resolution to authorize the County Auditor to declare items as no longer needed by the county and obsolete/damaged equipment, ORC 307-12 (A)(1), and for commissioners to declare the listed items to be surplus property and no longer needed by the County.

• A request from Highland County Veterans Service Commission to create a new line item within the 1000 General Fund, Donations, and appropriate $750 from unappropriated funds.

• A budget modification within the 1000 General Fund in the amount of $3,387.50.

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