Ratcliff appointed to Help Me Grow
By
Rory Ryan-hcpress@cinci.rr.com
Danielle Ratcliff, coordinator for Highland County Family and Children First Council, has been named the interim administrator for the Help Me Grow program, it was announced at Wednesday’s meeting of the Highland County Board of Commissioners.
Commissioners Shane Wilkin, Gary Heaton and Tom Horst appointed Ratcliff after meeting with Highland County Auditor Bill Fawley and Highland County Prosecutor Jim Grandey.
The program had been under the management of Highland County Developmental Disabilities Superintendent Chuck Biggert. However, Biggert recently told commissioners he was no longer going to oversee the Help Me Grow program, which provides services to 164 area families.
As reported in the HCP last month, Biggert had a disagreement with other county agencies stemming from an earlier grant application related to an early Head Start program and the Help Me Grow program. At that time, Biggert said his office would no longer oversee the Help Me Grow program after Dec. 31.
“I can’t jeopardize funds for Highland County Developmental Disabilities over this agency,” Biggert told The Highland County Press.
On Wednesday, Ratcliff and Fawley questioned expense appropriations for the program as well as reimbursements to Highland County Department of Developmental Disabilities. “For 2009, Chuck’s numbers show $327,000 and my numbers show $411,000,” Fawley said.
“That needs to be rectified before we go any further,” Grandey responded.
“We have a legal obligation to have the program,” Ratcliff said.
Biggert was not in attendance at this week’s meeting.
According to Ratcliff, Biggert had sent an e-mail saying he was canceling the Help Me Grow telephone, Internet and credit card services. However, commissioners said the telephone service was in Help Me Grow’s name and they would contact the utility company and maintain the service.
“We need to see where all of the program’s expenses are coming from,” Grandey said.
Commissioners then agreed to a memorandum of understanding to appoint Ratcliff on an interim basis as the Help Me Grow administrator.
“I’ll do it as long as you need me,” Ratcliff said. She also was instructed to send letters to the Help Me Grow families explaining the changes.
Commissioners then proposed a meeting in January that would include all the agencies associated with Help Me Grow.
“We need all the parties to be here and we need to put this to rest, once and for all,” Heaton said.
• In other action Wednesday, Commissioner Gary Heaton read a letter from Anthony J. Celebrezze III, deputy director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, regarding a proposed private dock development at Rocky Fork Lake.
Commissioners had previously met with Celebrezze, and Jon Dobney, Rocky Fork State park manager, regarding a request by RFL area developer Jamie Brandenburg for a private marina on state park waters. Ohio first lady Frances Strickland also visited the lake to discuss a possible solution.
In his letter, Celebrezze informed Brandenburg that the state may have found a solution and has presented it to the Ohio parks division. If approved, Brandenburg would need to obtain a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Ohio EPA prior to any new construction on the lake.
Celebrezze had earlier rejected Brandenburg’s proposal.
In November, Brandenburg spoke to the first lady, along with other private and public officials about a proposed private dock development project near the Rocky Fork Lake Golf Course.
Strickland was told new homes would be developed, since there is a convenience factor with the lake area being within 90 minutes from metropolitan areas, such Columbus, Cincinnati and Dayton.
Brandenburg said Kevin Walker, a former Cincinnati Bengal, is the Realtor interested in the project.
Heaton told the first lady the main objective for the commissioners is purely economic – in order to develop jobs in the community. He said the construction jobs would be a big help, as a lot of construction jobs have been lost due to the tough economic times.
Heaton also told Strickland Highland County was No. 1 in unemployment in the state in October at 15.9 percent.
This week, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services released the November unemployment statistics and Highland County now leads the state with a 16.1-percent jobless rate.
On Wednesday, Heaton cautioned that nothing has been decided on the project, but it does look like positive news.[[In-content Ad]]
Commissioners Shane Wilkin, Gary Heaton and Tom Horst appointed Ratcliff after meeting with Highland County Auditor Bill Fawley and Highland County Prosecutor Jim Grandey.
The program had been under the management of Highland County Developmental Disabilities Superintendent Chuck Biggert. However, Biggert recently told commissioners he was no longer going to oversee the Help Me Grow program, which provides services to 164 area families.
As reported in the HCP last month, Biggert had a disagreement with other county agencies stemming from an earlier grant application related to an early Head Start program and the Help Me Grow program. At that time, Biggert said his office would no longer oversee the Help Me Grow program after Dec. 31.
“I can’t jeopardize funds for Highland County Developmental Disabilities over this agency,” Biggert told The Highland County Press.
On Wednesday, Ratcliff and Fawley questioned expense appropriations for the program as well as reimbursements to Highland County Department of Developmental Disabilities. “For 2009, Chuck’s numbers show $327,000 and my numbers show $411,000,” Fawley said.
“That needs to be rectified before we go any further,” Grandey responded.
“We have a legal obligation to have the program,” Ratcliff said.
Biggert was not in attendance at this week’s meeting.
According to Ratcliff, Biggert had sent an e-mail saying he was canceling the Help Me Grow telephone, Internet and credit card services. However, commissioners said the telephone service was in Help Me Grow’s name and they would contact the utility company and maintain the service.
“We need to see where all of the program’s expenses are coming from,” Grandey said.
Commissioners then agreed to a memorandum of understanding to appoint Ratcliff on an interim basis as the Help Me Grow administrator.
“I’ll do it as long as you need me,” Ratcliff said. She also was instructed to send letters to the Help Me Grow families explaining the changes.
Commissioners then proposed a meeting in January that would include all the agencies associated with Help Me Grow.
“We need all the parties to be here and we need to put this to rest, once and for all,” Heaton said.
• In other action Wednesday, Commissioner Gary Heaton read a letter from Anthony J. Celebrezze III, deputy director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, regarding a proposed private dock development at Rocky Fork Lake.
Commissioners had previously met with Celebrezze, and Jon Dobney, Rocky Fork State park manager, regarding a request by RFL area developer Jamie Brandenburg for a private marina on state park waters. Ohio first lady Frances Strickland also visited the lake to discuss a possible solution.
In his letter, Celebrezze informed Brandenburg that the state may have found a solution and has presented it to the Ohio parks division. If approved, Brandenburg would need to obtain a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Ohio EPA prior to any new construction on the lake.
Celebrezze had earlier rejected Brandenburg’s proposal.
In November, Brandenburg spoke to the first lady, along with other private and public officials about a proposed private dock development project near the Rocky Fork Lake Golf Course.
Strickland was told new homes would be developed, since there is a convenience factor with the lake area being within 90 minutes from metropolitan areas, such Columbus, Cincinnati and Dayton.
Brandenburg said Kevin Walker, a former Cincinnati Bengal, is the Realtor interested in the project.
Heaton told the first lady the main objective for the commissioners is purely economic – in order to develop jobs in the community. He said the construction jobs would be a big help, as a lot of construction jobs have been lost due to the tough economic times.
Heaton also told Strickland Highland County was No. 1 in unemployment in the state in October at 15.9 percent.
This week, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services released the November unemployment statistics and Highland County now leads the state with a 16.1-percent jobless rate.
On Wednesday, Heaton cautioned that nothing has been decided on the project, but it does look like positive news.[[In-content Ad]]