PHOTO BY RENEA KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
AIRPORT EXPANSION … The Fulton County Commissioners executed a letter of intent to award a $1.114 million contract to Rupp/Rosebrock Inc. for construction of a new T-hangar and taxilane at the Fulton County Airport.
By: Renea Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
renea@thevillagereporter.com
The Fulton County Commissioners held meetings on Tuesday, July 28, and Thursday, July 30, addressing a proposed road vacation, county zoning amendments, airport improvements, infrastructure projects, child placement services, court operations, senior center staffing and the county’s revolving loan programs.
Public Hearings Scheduled
During the July 28 meeting, commissioners scheduled a public hearing for Tuesday, Aug. 25, at 9:15 a.m. on a petition submitted by the Franklin Township Trustees to vacate Road 22 between Roads L and M.
The proposed vacation involves approximately 10.04 acres of roadway and public right-of-way interests.
The hearing will be held in the commissioners’ meeting room at 152 S. Fulton St., Suite 270, in Wauseon. Notice will be published and affected property owners will be notified by first-class mail as required by law.
Two additional public hearings were scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 13, at 9:15 a.m. One concerns multiple proposed amendments to the 2011 Fulton County Rural Zoning Resolution, now identified as the 2026 Zoning Resolution.
The second involves a request to rezone parcel 10-019908-01.000 in Franklin Township. The Fulton County Zoning Commission previously recommended approval of both matters.
Contracts, Agreements Approved
The board approved a $74,945.04 payment to Griffin Pavement Striping for work completed through the 2026 Fulton County Pavement Marking Program.
County Engineer Frank Onweller reviewed the payment request and recommended approval.
Commissioners also entered into a construction agreement with Damschroder Roofing for repairs to the Fayette Water Treatment Plant roof. The contract amount is not to exceed $138,631.70.
Up to $112,800 will be paid by Fulton County through Community Development Block Grant funding, with the Village of Fayette responsible for the remaining balance and any approved additions. The work is to be completed by April 30, 2027.
On behalf of Eastern District Court, the board approved an agreement with Henschen and Associates for software and hardware support connected to the court’s case management system. Commissioners also authorized a lease with Pitney Bowes for a postage machine.
Several agreements were approved on behalf of the Fulton County Department of Job and Family Services.
An agreement with Foundations for Living established a residential treatment placement rate of $450 per day for services provided from July 1 through July 7.
The board also approved a $4,000 agreement with Defiance County Job and Family Services for Title IV-E services through Dec. 31. An $85,000 agreement with T&S Youth Project for Title IV-E placement services was approved from July 1 through Dec. 31.
Revolving Loan Fund Report Approved
Commissioners approved the county’s Economic Development Revolving Loan Fund semiannual report.
The fund had a balance of approximately $283,334 as of June 30, compared with approximately $248,387 at the beginning of the year.
During the reporting period, the fund received approximately $30,579 in principal payments, $5,326 in loan interest and $4,729 in bank interest.
The report listed active loans involving Operation One27 LLC and Sky Cinema LLC, with a combined outstanding balance of approximately $279,946. The board also approved the county’s Housing Semi-Annual Program Income Report.
Appointments, Proclamations Approved
Timothy Michael Fitzpatrick was appointed to a three-year term on the Fulton County Airport Authority Board. His term will expire Sept. 1, 2029.
The commissioners proclaimed August 2026 as Child Support Awareness Month in Fulton County. This year’s theme is “Every Child’s Future is Worth Supporting.” Wednesday, Aug. 5, was also designated as Wear Green Day in recognition of the program and the role child support services play in strengthening families.
Two new substitutes were approved for the Fulton County Senior Center. Ann Berry and Roberto Hernandez were appointed subject to successful completion of all required employment screenings.
Personnel records included with the requests list a wage of $15 per hour for the substitute position.
Following regular business, commissioners entered into an executive session to discuss pending court action. The board returned to regular session at approximately 11:39 a.m., and no action was taken.
Airport Hangar Project
At the July 30 meeting, commissioners executed a letter of intent to award the Fulton County Airport T-hangar and taxilane construction project to Rupp/Rosebrock Inc. of Liberty Center.
Bids for the project were received on April 28. Crawford, Murphy and Tilly, the project engineering firm, recommended Rupp/Rosebrock as the lowest and best bidder at $1.114 million.
The engineer’s estimate for the work was $1.1 million, placing the selected bid $14,000, or approximately 1.3 percent, above the estimate.
The project includes construction of a new T-hangar and taxilane at the Fulton County Airport, along with site grading and pavement markings.
Earlier county planning and federal grant documents identified the proposed building as a six-unit T-hangar.
The letter of intent provides formal notice that the county plans to award the construction contract to Rupp/Rosebrock, but the award remains subject to several conditions.
Those include execution of a mutually acceptable construction contract, submission and approval of required bonds and insurance certificates, compliance with federal, state, local and funding agency requirements, and final funding approval from the commissioners and any other agencies with authority over the project.
Rupp/Rosebrock may begin coordinating the documents and other activities needed for contract execution and project startup.
However, the letter specifically states that it is not a notice to proceed and does not authorize construction to begin.
Work cannot start until a complete contract has been executed and the county issues a written notice to proceed.
The county’s bid notice stated that the project requires the contractor to furnish all labor, materials and equipment needed to install the T-hangar and taxilane and complete the associated grading and pavement markings.
The project is also subject to federal wage, equal employment opportunity, disadvantaged business participation, Buy American and other federal contracting requirements.
The commissioners previously authorized advertising for project bids in March. The county has also pursued Federal Aviation Administration funding for the design and construction phases of the T-hangar and taxilane project.
An April reimbursement request included approximately $73,463 in eligible costs associated with the first design phase of the T-hangar project and reconstruction of the airport’s weather reporting equipment.
Appropriation Increases
Commissioners also approved two appropriation increases during the July 30 meeting. A total of $20,700 was added to the Information Systems professional services account for online security-related expenses.
An additional $2,000 was appropriated to the Dog and Kennel grant expense account after the dog warden received funding for spay and neuter services.
The board approved an amendment to the county’s memorandum of understanding with the Area 7 Greater Ohio Workforce Board for state fiscal year 2027.
The amendment removes Four County Career Center as an OhioMeansJobs partner and redistributes its allocated full-time equivalent share equally among Fulton County Job and Family Services-TANF, Fulton County Workforce-WIOA, Fulton County Job and Family Services-FAET and Fulton County RESEA.
The change is effective July 1, 2026, and applies through June 30, 2027.
Commissioners also appointed Marsha Lee as a substitute at the Fulton County Senior Center, subject to successful completion of required employment screenings. Personnel records list the position at $15 per hour.
Lee joins Berry and Hernandez, whose substitute appointments were approved two days earlier.
The board also approved purchase orders, travel requests, the July 28 meeting minutes and an amended agenda.
Following the regular session, commissioners conducted a bid opening for proposals related to a comprehensive feasibility, governance and preliminary engineering study of the Fulton County segment of the Wabash Cannonball Trail.
The next regular session was scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026, at 9 a.m.