AWARD FOR FIRST PLACE … Commissioner Westfall, Executive Director Andy Brigle, Commissioner Hilkert, and Commissioner Rummel were excited to pose for a photo in honor of Williams County employees winning first place in the United Way’s Giving Sector for their 2022 fundraising campaign.
By: Anna Wozniak
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
The Williams County Commissioners met on Monday and Thursday of last week, and they sure had a lot going on.
At 10:37 a.m., they met with Richard Sickle to discuss the Williams County EMS levy. Discussed were the details of how a 3.5 mil property tax levy would be calculated, and whether there would be a cap on how much revenue it could generate each year. The commissioners relayed that it is a flat tax that is added on top of residents’ variable taxes.
Mr. Sickle also drew attention to inconsistent numbers that were provided around specific metrics like the number of annual EMS calls, percentage of calls covered by Medicaid/Medicare, and estimated costs.
EMS representative Jesse Braumbaugh welcomed Mr. Sickle to their office to look at specific numbers and apologized for the inconsistencies between how EMS representatives shared generalized statistics.
Sickle also shared frustration with unclear and sometimes conflicting information about where new EMS services would be extended to if the levy passed, with debate centered around whether it would extend to Edgerton or be focused on West Unity.
Sickle asked some questions about the soft billing process that the county would use if the levy were to pass and shared his desire for more transparency around financial details, budgets, and plans for use of funds if the levy were to pass.
The commissioners then met with Williams County Engineer representative Brian Fritsch and Williams Soil & Water representative Manual Lay to discuss state ditch projects before holding their regular session at 12:22 p.m.
Three resolutions were then passed, the first relating to transfer requests, the second to software services for the Williams County Sheriff’s Office, and the third a grant for the Department of Aging.
Also signed were a funds change order with regards to the rebid on the reclamation project for County Road 22, and an extension for the courthouse window project for another 30 days before the minutes from the Oct. 26, 2023 meeting were approved as presented, as were the bills.
Thursday saw three budget meetings with Judge Karen Gallagher, Williams County JFS representatives Fred Lord and Judy Preston, and Williams County Airport representative Brent Wilson.
These budget meetings happened to account for these departments having gone 10% or higher than their allotted budget amounts to detail for the commissioners what the amounts correlate to.
Their regular session produced the approval of two resolutions, one was regarding transfer requests, and the other was for child placement services with JFS.
Also signed were two travel requests and the Dog Warden report for the week of October 23, 2023, before the commissioners entered recess at 9:07 a.m.
At 9:30 a.m., Commissioners Hilkert, Westfall, and Rummel met with Andy Brigle, the Executive Director of United Way, to accept an award for placing first in the Giving Sector for the 2022 campaign.