PHOTO BY BRENNA WHITE / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
A NEW VIEW … Commissioners Bart Westfall, Scott Lirot, and Terry Rummel have an open discussion with the community at the Williams County Fair Pavilion.
By: Brenna White
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
The Williams County Commissioners held their September 9, 2025, meeting at 9:11 a.m. at the Williams County Fair Pavilion as part of their “Coffee with Commissioners” event.
The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by roll call. Commissioner President Terry Rummel, Scott Lirot, and Bart Westfall were in attendance.
The minutes from the August 28, 2025, meeting were approved, along with the agenda, with no corrections or amendments.
During the payment of bills, the commissioners took the time to explain the current financial system of Hillside Country Living Nursing Home to the community members present.
“Hopefully Hillside will start seeing profits again,” Rummel stated, “There is going to be cash flow in; however, it is more of a timing cash flow problem. We’ve been seeing it for years, we’re hoping we see an adjustment in this correction.”
Lirot mentioned that most counties don’t supply an airport, EMS, or nursing home to their residents. “We do a lot of things in our county for our people that most counties don’t,” he stated.
Several transfer appropriations were approved for the Department of Aging, Williams County Engineer’s Office, Hillside Country Living, and Job and Family Services.
The commissioners continued to rescind previously approved Resolution 25-0391 regarding the final hearing of ditch #744, petitioned by Sydney Ebersole. It was noted that Rummel refrained from the motion to avoid a conflict of interest.
Originally set for October 23, 2025, the commissioners cancelled the hearing to discuss the topic and gather more information in the future.
Bids were accepted and awarded for Project 6-2025, which involves asphalt paving replacement. An addendum was authorized to an agreement between Job and Family Services and Community Teaching Homes. Their contract was granted an additional $380,000 for funding child placement costs.
The commissioners also approved entering into a service agreement with Maximus for reporting under IV-D program requirements.
A hearing was set for October 2, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. for the vacation of a road in Center Township filed by Clifford Wineland.
Additional items were reviewed, including a Garmann Miller invoice for the design of the North Annex building, credit card appropriations for the Recorder’s Office for September 2025, and a permit for use of county property from the American Cancer Society for the Relay for Life event. This is scheduled to take place on September 19, 2025, at the Bryan Downtown Square.
Project 5-2025, an asphalt program, was given a notice to proceed, and the Dog Warden’s weekly report for August 25-31, 2025, was presented.
The commissioners then entered an open discussion with locals about any concerns they might have about the community. “We get some of our best ideas from local participation,” Rummel affirmed.
The commissioners adjourned at 10:02 a.m. with no further discussion.