By: Anna Wozniak
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
anna@thevillagereporter.com
The Williams County Commissioners met for their regular Tuesday and Thursday meetings, with general sessions happening around 9 a.m. both mornings as planned.
On Tuesday, Commissioners Bart Westfall, Terry Rummel, and Lew Hilkert began with the approval of five resolutions, a notice of retirement for Donna Sprow, travel requests for Veteran Services for 2024, February credit card appropriations for the Williams County Commissioners’ Office, a purchase approval for IT, and PERRP reporting forms for 2023, as well as the minutes and bills as submitted.
They then met with two Maumee Valley Planning representatives for the first hearing of the 2024 CDBG Community Development Program to discuss the application process and eligibility for the Community Development Block Grants as applicable to Williams County, sharing that these grants are to help build more resilient communities by offsetting funds contributed federally by Housing and Urban Development.
The grant amounts and costs would be determined after the bidding process so that final amounts are uncertain until the contract details are solidified.
This grant allocation is designed to align with the NRG grant, and as such will run on a two-year cycle.
Community eligibility and grant particulars were then discussed, with it being highlighted that there is both an income and a blight qualification, meaning that municipalities with a low to moderate income can qualify for projects, but projects relating to blight may be assessed for grant funds without any income qualification.
There is a lot of hope for future partnership with the local landbank, especially now that the State of Ohio has added additional funding for community projects.
The timeline for these funds was discussed, and it was shared that the county should apply for these fund applications to projects that will begin to see the bidding process begin in 2025, with notice of award expected by October.
The guidelines for this program are strict, and a part of them is to hold public hearings, the next of which is currently set to take place in May.
The Williams County treasurer then came in to give the quarterly investment report and came out of executive session with no action taken.
On Thursday the commissioners approved three resolutions, a release of 2023 funds for the Williams County Agricultural Society, the Dog Warden report through January 21, 2024, and a letter of support for a 50-unit senior housing project.
The minutes and bills were then accepted as presented before Amy Hoffman, representing Palmer Energy, came in to speak on the electric aggregation process, which will be added to the ballot in March for unincorporated areas county-wide.
The electric aggregation process allows energy consumers to choose between more companies, by putting out bids on transmission rates and accepting the lowest one, regardless of who has partnered with the local municipalities.
This would put more decision-making power into the hands of the residents in unincorporated areas throughout the county and allow them more choice in their energy utility provider.
It is also important to note that those within the villages of Stryker, Edon, and West Unity as well as Center and Springfield townships already benefit from this process, but that all unincorporated areas will see the option to vote on the electric aggregation being allowed for other unincorporated residents regardless of their participation status.
The commissioners then adjourned for the week, set to meet next Tuesday and Thursday. This week’s resolutions are as follows:
Resolution 24-0053: approved supplemental appropriations for the Williams County Commissioners, IT, JFS, and Prosecutor’s Office; Resolution 24-0054: amended a zone agreement to correct for a change in enterprise name; Resolution 24-0055: approved a contractual agreement for JFS; Resolution 24-0056: approved an IV-E contract addenda for JFS; Resolution 24-0057: approved a credit card application for the Williams County Engineer’s Office; Resolution 24-0058: supplemental appropriations for the Williams County Clerk of Courts, Commissioners, and Recorder; Resolution 24-0059: approved an agreement for airport managerial training through December 31, 2026; Resolution 24-0060: approved a Lead Safe Ohio Program grant agreement between the State of Ohio, Department of Development and Williams County.
