By: Brenna White
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
The Williams County Commissioners held their regular meeting on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, to pass multiple IV-E contracts with JFS and prepare business for the new year.
The meeting opened with a call to order from President Terry Rummel, with Vice President Scott Lirot and Bart Westfall also in attendance.
After approving the minutes from the December 11, 2025, session, the agenda was amended to remove the executive session scheduled with Kyle Brigle, EMS.
The payment of bills was approved. Continuing with old business, a previous motion made by Rummel during the last meeting was formally put into a resolution.
It officially switched the county insurance broker and agency from First Insurance to Andres, O’Neil & Lowe. It will be effective starting January 1, 2026.
Supplemental appropriation transfers were approved on behalf of the Williams County Airport, Board of Elections, the Court of Common Pleas Probate Division, Williams County Communications, the Engineer’s Office, Hillside Country Living, Sheriff’s Office, the Soil and Water Conservation District, Title Department, Veterans’ Service Office, and the Williams County Unclaimed Fund Budget.
Commissioners also moved to appoint Michael Elkins to serve his third consecutive term on the Williams County Board of Developmental Disabilities.
Superintendent Andrea Hammond additionally supported the appointment with a letter of recommendation. Elkin’s term will begin January 1, 2026, and end December 31, 2029.
It was noted that one additional board member will still need to be appointed by February. Consisting of seven total members, the commissioners are responsible for selecting five constituents, while the Williams County Probate Judge appoints two.
A resolution was passed in which entered into an annual agreement with the Humane Society for support with County Dog Warden duties. At a cost not to exceed $9,197.00 per month, the Board affirmed that the continued cooperation within the county remains one of its strongest assets.
39 permits to work within county or township road right-of-way limits for Charter Communications were received and signed.
A discussion was held amongst the Commissioners about the Ebersole Ditch petition and their return of deposit. A total of $1,500 was deposited by the Ebersole family in regard to their application. Funds were used for items such as postage to neighboring landowners, advertising, and conducting an engineer’s report.
Rummel notably abstained from participating in the petition decision as it unfolded due to owning nearby property. “It’s not the Ebersoles’ fault that we changed the way we are doing things,” he said.
“They (originally) filed the petition under old commissioners, and got different commissioners now. I think we are showing up a little differently on this.”
“I would say that the engineering report was incomplete,” explained Lirot. “It should have been cancelled at the first hearing.”
He stated it was considered ‘incomplete,’ not to the fault of the Engineer’s office, but because there was no project to be found during investigation. The naturally occurring ditch blockage, a beaver’s dam, had been removed at the time of the county review.
“The engineer’s report said there was no work to be done or found, so therefore there is no expenses,” Lirot continued. “There was no assessment to be done on the creatures (beavers) in the stream.”
Commissioner Rummel, following Lirot’s assessment, made the official motion to return the deposit, minus the first mailing and advertisement costs.
The remaining costs from the ditch petition will be covered by the general fund. A total of $1,058.26 will be returned to the original Ebersole filer.
Several additional resolutions were approved for Job and Family Services (JFS) as follows:
-An extension renewal of Storehouse 4 Hope for financial case management services, at a cost not to exceed $10,000. – Term: October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026;
-A IV-E contract with Lutheran Homes Society, Inc., dba Genacross Family & Youth Services for child placement, at a cost not to exceed $5,000. – Term: January 1, 2026 through June 30, 2026;
-A IV-E contract with OhioMHAS-Eastway Corporation for child placement, at a cost not to exceed $5,000. – Term: January 1, 2026 through June 30, 2026;
-A IV-E contract with the Ohio Teaching Family Association for the provision of child placement, at a cost not to exceed $300,000. – Term: January 1, 2026 through June 30, 2026;
-A IV-E contract with The Marsh Foundation for the provision of child placement, at a cost not to exceed $70,000. – Term: January 1, 2026 through June 30, 2026.
An executive session was requested by Commissioner Rummel to discuss compensation with Darrell Moore of Hillside Country Living. Entered at 10:58 a.m., the meeting was adjourned directly afterwards with no action.