HEARING BUDGET CONCERNS … Commissioners Hilkert, Westfall and Rummel listen to Prosecutor Katherine Zartman, Director / Advocate Kim Nossaman, Deputy Auditor Parker Houk, and Auditor Vickie Grimm detail the necessity of funds. (PHOTO BY ANNA WOZNIAK, STAFF)
By: Anna Wozniak
The Williams County Commissioners began their April 6, 2023 meeting at 9:25 a.m.
Commissioners Lew Hilkert, Bart Westfall, and Terry Rummel had a busy session, with a lot to catch up on from not being in session on Monday, passing Resolutions 2023-0105, 2023-0106, 2023-0107, 2023-0108, 2023-0109, 2023-0110, 2023-0111, 2023-0112, and 2023-0113.
Most notable of these are Resolution 2023-0108, which awarded the bid for project 3-2023 to Bryan Excavating and Resolution 2023-0113, which allows for agreements to be reached with regards to the layout and budget for the Williams County Courthouse’s fourth floor renovation.
The commissioners then approved the credit card appropriations for April, as well as approved permits for Grace Community Church’s Suicide Awareness Walk on September 17, and the Flair on the Square on July 19, before approving travel requests, the dog warden report, the monthly report for March, and the appropriations for the Parks Board’s operating expenses.
The minutes for the March 30, 2023 meeting and bills as presented were approved before the commissioners went into recess at 9:33 a.m.
The commissioners returned at 9:44 a.m. to speak with Williams County Auditor Vickie Grimm, Deputy Auditor Parker Houk, Williams County Prosecutor Katherine Zartman, and Kim Nossaman, the Williams County Prosecutor’s Office Director and Victim Advocate.
The purpose of this meeting was to approve the transfer of funds that were already pledged to the prosecutor’s office previously.
While this did indeed happen in a motion made by Commissioner Rummel and seconded by Commissioner Westfall, those present took this opportunity to discuss why these funds are a necessity.
In 2015, a victims’ rights law titled “Marsy’s Law” was adopted to the Ohio State Constitution, making it the responsibility of officers and the prosecutor to provide certain services to victims of crimes.
These requirements created much more work and expenses for the prosecutor’s office, and no additional funds were granted by the state for this new mandatory operation.
Due to these facts, this program has been completely grant funded. Grant funding has been cut by 30% twice in the past two years.
Prosecutor Grimm noted that while Pioneer and Edgerton have contributed to their operating funds, no other municipalities have contributed despite their active participation in receiving mandatory services from the project.
Commissioner Rummel noted that research needs to be done into the average costs associated with each municipality, as there are many services that one municipality may cover for the entire county.
The commissioners then officially approved the transfer of funds from special revenue to the prosecutor’s office before going into recess at 9:54 a.m.
Anna can be reached at anna@thevillagereporter.com