Sen. Peterson meets with commissioners on capital funding
By Rory Ryan
The Highland County Press
State Sen. Bob Peterson, R-17th District, met Wednesday, Jan. 13 with Highland County Commissioners Shane Wilkin, Jeff Duncan and Tom Horst regarding capital budget items to be submitted to the Ohio General Assembly.
Peterson outlined the budgeting process and deadlines for submitting proposed capital items that may be funded this year, with a fund release date after July 1, 2016.
"We'll do everything we can to help get a project to qualify," Peterson said. "We've done a lot already with Southern State Community College."
Peterson also mentioned several projects that were funded in last year's capital budget, including a Lynchburg park, an Appalachian Forest museum and improvements at the Hi-TEC Center.
Wilkin said the commissioners have spoken with Dr. Kevin Boys, president of Southern State Community College, in hopes of adding signage off the new Carl Smith-Hobart Drive that will help identify the businesses and other offices in that area of town.
Highland County Auditor Bill Fawley mentioned the possibility of adding a storage facility at the North High Business Center.
Peterson said several of those projects could qualify for funding and encouraged commissioners to submit their proposed projects and estimated costs as soon as possible.
Nicole Oberrecht will be submitting the county's proposal to the Assembly.
Zach McCune, executive assistant to House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger, also attended the meeting.
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• Highland County Records Retention Commission members Shane Wilkin, Bill Fawley, Highland County Recorder Chad McConnaughey, Highland County Clerk of Courts Ike Hodson and Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins met prior to the start of the board meeting.
The commission had received a request from the Ohio Historical Society regarding records retention for body camera images at the Highland County Sheriff's Office.
Hodson had made a motion to approve the request; however, it died for lack of a second after considerable discussion.
Collins raised several legal questions concerning the records, and the commission agreed to meet again at 8:15 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 20.
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• Support Our Troops of Highland County met with commissioners regarding the placement of handicapped parking signs for veterans only.
Support Our Troops proposed placing two of the signs around the Highland County Veterans Memorial at the southwest corner of the Highland County Courthouse, two signs at the Hi-TEC Center and one sign in the village of Leesburg near the veterans memorial.
Horst informed Steph Roland of Support Our Troops the city of Hillsboro would need to be contacted prior to placing the signs. Hillsboro city safety and service director Todd Wilkin also was in attendance and said he would discuss it with the city.
Also in attendance for the veterans were: VFW Post 9094 Commander Rick Wilkin, Shawn Carter, Dwight Reynolds, David Pinney and Becky Williams of Support Our Troops.
"We have leftover funds from the Vietnam Wall Traveling Tribute event held last year (at Liberty Park)," Roland said. "We decided to purchase 10 handicapped veterans-only parking signs for the county. At this time, we have plans for five of the signs and wanted to bring this to your attention and to the public's attention first. We will be meeting with Hillsboro City Council and the Leesburg council. We still have five signs left."
Roland said if the community is interested, they would seek sponsors for additional signs.
Horst suggested Support Our Troops also meet with Greenfield Village Council.
Wilkin said the commissioners would give Support Our Troops a letter of support for the signs.
Support Our Troops meets 6:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 15 at the Hi-TEC Center. The meeting is open to the public.
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Resolutions
In other action, commissioners approved the following resolutions, each by a 3-0 vote:
• A resolution authorizing CDBG for Revolving Loan Fund.
• A request from the Clerk of Courts for a modification within the Certificate of Title Fund, from Transfers Out to Other Expense in the amount of $100,000.
• A request from Highland County Department of Job and Family Services for a reimbursement of funds from CSEA Administrative Account to Public Assistance in the amount of $19,198.71 for shared cost distribution for December 2015.
• A request from Probation to establish a new fund, Probation Improvement and Incentive Grant PIIG.
• A request from Probation for additional appropriation from unappropriated funds to Pre-Trial Supervision, Insurance account in the amount of $2,598.
• A request from Probation for a budget modification to S-18 in the amount of $6,000 and advance to Jail Diversion in the amount of $6,000.
• A request from the Sheriff for additional appropriation to the Sheriff Budget, Salary Employees in the amount of $8,152.
• An advance from County to Recycling in the amount of $1,000.
• A request from Crime Planning Rocky Fork Lake to appropriate to Other Expenses in the amount of $32,022.47.
• A blanket resolution to cover all travel for 2016 for the Recorder.
• A request from the Treasurer for a modification within Detac (delinquent tax and assessment collection) in the amount of $10,000.
• A transfer from County Miscellaneous to EMA in the amount of $25,000.