DECISION APPEALED … Commissioners Bart Westfall and Lew Hilkert voted to appeal the most recent decision regarding the AquaBounty fish farm project’s application for a right of way work permit, carrying the decision in a 2-1 vote.
By: Anna Wozniak
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
anna@thevillagereporter.com
The Williams County Commissioners met regularly last week on Tuesday and Thursday. Tuesday saw Commissioners Bart Westfall, Terry Rummel, and Lew Hilkert meet around 8:30 a.m. for executive session with no action, returning to enter into their 9:30 a.m. general session.
This meeting saw the approval of eight resolutions, travel requests, two employee health insurance agreements, a request for pay from Maumee Valley Planning Organization, and a residential real estate purchase agreement change addendum to add an extension for the finishing of a lot by the former Quillen Building. Also approved were the minutes from their February 8, 2024 meeting as presented and the bills up to date.
Commissioner Westfall then shared that Springfield Township trustees had approached him with concerns about Senate Bill 52, with Commissioner Westfall sharing that they may soon see correspondence from the board with regards to what they would like to see done with county-wide wind and solar energy regulations.
$20,000 was requested for the new magistrate position taken up by Ms. Fisher, and the commissioners discussed whether or not the funds were immediately necessary, deciding to hold off on releasing the funds until the need makes itself known.
New scheduling software details were discussed, with the new program almost being ready for switchover.
Appealing the most recent decision made on the AquaBounty right of way work permit was discussed, with it being shared that lawyers have recommended to the commissioners that they should fight the decision due to the parameters surrounding what a public utility is.
They discussed that it is Kidston Consulting that owns the well field from which the water would be pumped, with the water then being returned to the river, with Commissioner Hilkert sharing that this decision isn’t just for the people of Pioneer, but also “for the 37,000 that live in this county.”
Commissioner Rummel voted to approve the permit, and also voted no to the decision to appeal the most recent decision, with Commissioners Lew Hilkert and Bart Westfall voting to appeal, passing the decision 2-1.
They entered recess, meeting again at 10 a.m. with Director of the 911 Communications Agency, Heather Mercer, for an update on a donation application sent in to Northwestern Electric.
Equipment details were shared before a resolution authorizing the application was approved, as was $38,000 in expenses for updating the desks before adjourning for the day.
Thursday saw a brisk meeting, with Commissioners Bart Westfall and Lew Hilkert present. Three resolutions were approved, as were the minutes from the last EMS meeting, courthouse permits, program income reports from Maumee Valley Planning, credit card appropriations for the Sheriff’s Office, the Dog Warden report for the first week of February, a user agreement for the community development, and the minutes from the February 13, 2024 meeting and bills as presented.
With nothing further to address, the Williams County Commissioners then voted to adjourn for the week.