KEEPING BUSY The Williams County Commissioners are being kept busy during the holiday season working hard on department budgets budget shortfalls and renewing annual contracts and legislation amongst their regular responsibilities
By: Anna Wozniak
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
anna@thevillagereporter.com
The Williams County Commissioners held a regular week, meeting last Monday and Thursday in general session.
Monday began a little late, with 10 a.m. seeing Commissioners Lew Hilkert and Bart Westfall greeting Williams County Engineer Todd Roth to discuss the Bible Park bridge replacement and disc golf course.
He shared the status of two grant applications, one for the Bible Park aeration system and the other for the engineering costs of the Wabash Trail.
The state capital grant for the Wabash Trail had to be in later that week, and the commissioners pledged a $10,000 contribution to the project’s completion.
They then met with Prosecutor Katie Zartman and Susan Tennant with Williams County Victims Assistance to review their budget, sharing that positive changes have been happening with their funding since the passing of Marsy’s Law in 2021. The Williams County Commissioners are asked to fill the budget shortfall annually.
They then entered an executive session to discuss personnel. Upon exiting executive session, Susan Tennant shared some of her major responsibilities to help care for, protect, and get justice for victims of trauma in Williams County.
The commissioners thanked them for all that they do for the vulnerable, and voted to transfer $75,000 for their operating costs.
At 10:50 a.m., the commissioners returned to regular session, and approved seven resolutions, a mortgage release, the weekly Dog Warden Report through December 3, 2023, a categorical exclusion for the North Oak Street project in Edgerton, the financial analysis through November, the monthly treasurer’s statement, monthly Dog Warden report, a CRES application, the credit card statements through December for the Prosecutor’s Office, a right of way work permit, the minutes of the December 4, 2023 meeting as presented, and the bills as presented by the county auditor.
Thursday began for Commissioners Lew Hilkert, Bart Westfall, and Terry Rummel at 8 a.m. with an executive session with Katie Zartman to discuss the purchase or sale of property.
At 9 a.m., the commissioners entered into regular session, shortly thereafter approving seven resolutions, an exception to the policy handbook to assist an employee at the behest of the county auditor, two mortgage releases, January credit card appropriations for the Sheriff’s Office, a 2023 Community Housing abatement program, a grant agreement, and an addendum to a residential real estate agreement.
Resolution 23-0378 approved supplemental appropriations on behalf of the Williams County Board of Elections, Commissioners, Common Pleas Court, Communications, Department of Aging, JFS, EMS, Hillside, Sheriff, and Veterans Office.
Resolutions 23-0379 through 23-0382 approved Title IV-E contracts for child placement with JFS.
Resolution 23-0383 set the first hearing for Ditch No. 607 for April 9, 2024 at 10 a.m. at 1425 East High Street in Bryan at the East Annex Building.
Resolution 23-0384 approved the appointment of Julie Oxender to replace Candice Tressler as a Trustee of the Williams County Library.
Thursday was then finished out with two more executive sessions, one with Donna Sprow, the Executive Director of the Department of Aging, and the other with Dave Newcomer, who represented the Airport Authority Board.
