By: Renea Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
renea@thevillagereporter.com
The Fulton County Commissioners met for their regular session on February 5, 2026, in the Commissioners Session Room at the county courthouse in Wauseon. The meeting opened at 9:00 a.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance, prayer, and roll call.
Commissioners first approved routine organizational matters, including the minutes from the February 3 meeting and adoption of the day’s agenda.
Under old business, the board reviewed several financial and administrative reports. These included Dog Warden activity reports for periods ending January 17 and January 24, the Treasurer to Auditor balancing report, an amended certificate of estimated resources, and a certificate of non-compliance.
New business centered on a series of resolutions addressing county operations and infrastructure. Commissioners approved appropriations requests from various departments and authorized transfers to reimburse fourth-quarter 2025 expenses for fuel, copies, supplies, and utilities.
The board also advanced a public works project, approving plans and legal advertising for bids on the Bridge G24.6 rehabilitation project. Per the legal notice, sealed bids are due by 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 24, 2026. The project is estimated at $880,000.00.
A significant policy action came with the adoption of a resolution declaring all unincorporated areas of Fulton County as restricted for utility-scale power projects under Senate Bill 52, applying to both wind and solar electric generation developments.
Senate Bill 52 establishes new procedures intended to increase local oversight and control of the site selection process for utility-scale wind and solar electric generation facilities before and during the Ohio Power Siting Board review process, and it allows boards of county commissioners to prohibit such facilities in the unincorporated areas of their counties either entirely or within designated zones.
Under the resolution, an applicant seeking to develop a project within the restricted area must request that the proposed site be removed from the restricted area.
Then the commissioners require the developer to submit an application and required documents to the Fulton County Regional Planning Commission for review, with the commission then providing a recommendation back to the commissioners for further consideration.
The resolution also outlines a similar process for township trustees, stating that trustees intending to remove a restricted area must submit a request to the commissioners and then file an application and supporting documents with the Regional Planning Commission for review and recommendation.
The commissioners concluded their action items by approving purchase orders and travel requests before adjourning.
The next regular meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 10, at 9:00 a.m.