ALL SMILES … Often, in the pictures of the commissioners, their heads are down as they are signing paperwork or they look really serious while listening to a presentation by a guest. On Monday, morning, September 27, 2021, Commissioners Lew Hilkert, Terry Rummel and Assistant Clerk Robin Kemp were caught with smiles before the session began. (PHOTO BY REBECCA MILLER, STAFF)
By: Rebecca Miller
A very short regular session of the Williams County Commissioners, lasting five minutes was held at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, morning, September 27, 2021 as they needed to hit the road for a meeting in Bowling Green that day. While in session they approved the following:
-Resolution 321 Supplemental appropriations on behalf of Airport Fuel System, Common Pleas Court, Coroner Budget, JFS, Engineer and Hillside
-Resolution 322 Entering into Amended MOU between JFS and Kinnect
-Resolution 323 Entering into a Contract Amendment between JFS and Keeping Kids Safe, Inc.
-Resolution 324 Entering into a Service Agreement between Common Pleas Court (Juvenile Division) and MAXIMUS US Services, Inc.
-Resolution 325 Approving Prevention, Retention & Contingency Plan (PRC) on behalf of JFS
-Also Signed: Travel Request for Fred Lord to attend PCSAO Annual Conference in Worthington, Ohio; Travel Request for Commissioners Rummel and Hilkert to attend CCAO Regional Briefing in Bowling Green, Ohio; and Travel Request for Commissioners Rummel and Hilkert, Anne Retcher and Robin Kemp to attend ARPA Symposium in Columbus, Ohio.
-Motion to approve minutes from September 23, 2021 and payment of bills.
At the Thursday morning regular session, September 30, 2021, Commissioner Lew Hilkert reported that the symposium on the ARPs funds, in Columbus on the twenty ninth, had been both informative and boring.
He recommended that the commissioners have a workshop along with the auditor, sometime in the next week or two, to review the requests they have and to prioritize them.
He requested that they schedule it so that Commissioner Brian Davis can also be present, and said they will also need to look at what documentation might be needed should any of the requests be approved.
In regular business, they approved:
-Resolution 327 Supplemental Appropriations on Behalf of WC Commissioner; EMS; Engineer; Hillside Country Living; and Sheriff
-Resolution 328 Entering into a Memorandum of Understanding between WC Engineer and Village of Edgerton to join the county’s GIS System
-Also signed:
– Project 6-2021 Pavement marking item 420 notice to proceed and Item 500 Agmt between Owner and Contractor;
-Pre-Application for the AquaBounty Project (Clerk Anne Retcher explained, “Dennis Miller submitted this and stated that this is a formality to obtain the State approval to move forward with the CDBG Application.
It doesn’t commit the Count to proceed with the CDBG Full Application, it merely approves the funding structure. The State will not approve the application or release any funds to the County until the Application is approved, a grant agreement is issued and the Environmental Release of Funds is processed.
It is the Commissioners’ decision if they want to sign the pre-application.” Commissioner Lew Hilkert asked if there was an attachment that outlined the funding. After the Board reviewed the application, it was signed.)
-Williams County IT/Jeremy Suffel submitted a letter regarding the fiber connection to the MARCs tower, he wanted “to recognize that both BMU and S&S Directional Boring went above and beyond what I would expect of a vendor of any sort given the timeline and expectations. I feel it is important that we recognize these local vendors for the complete and prompt work with us on establishing a connection to the tower.”
-Dog Warden Report for 9/20/21-9/26/21
-Credit card appropriations for October on behalf of the Recorder
-Travel Request for Kellie Gray to attend Fall CTAO Conference
Retcher then asked the Commissioners for approval to “put a poll on our FaceBook on what their opinion on their preference regarding the Commissioners’ Minutes. Interested in if they prefer them to be transcribed to read or listen to audio.”
“I feel if the minutes are not transcribed it will be a hassle, because we search them all the time. If we get away from doing that then we no longer will have the capability to do a word search.” The commissioners initialed her request and signed off on it.
They also approved the minutes dated September 27, 2021 and the payment of the bills. Commissioner Brian Davis made the others aware that the Sheriff had sent a request to pay the $25,000 annualized cost for the MAN unit for the year 2022.
Before adjourning, the commissioners went into an Executive Session to consider the Compensation of Personnel with Maggie Fisher, director of WC Department of Aging. There was no action taken.
Rebecca can be reached at rebecca@thevillagereporter.com