PHOTO BY BRENNA WHITE / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
HOUSING PROGRESS … The Port Authority Board reports a successful 2025 year, with 20 single-family homes and 3 duplexes created. Their future plans consist of potentially tackling larger-scale projects.
By: Brenna White
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
The Williams County Commissioners approved an interim director for Job and Family Services and heard a Port Authority Board update at their Tuesday, January 27, 2026 meeting.
Following the call to order, Pledge of Allegiance, and roll call, Commissioners approved the minutes from the January 22, 2026 meeting and adopted an amended agenda.
The amendment included an additional executive session to discuss discipline. In attendance: Commissioner President Scott Lirot, Bart Westfall, and Terry Rummel.
Commissioners first approved the appointment of an interim director for the county’s Job and Family Services (JFS) department.
Vicki Blair, Executive Business Administrator and LSC with JFS, will serve as the interim director until a replacement can be hired.
On January 16, 2026, former JFS Director Kylee Towne submitted her resignation, which was effective on January 23, 2026. Within her temporary new position, Blair will report directly to the County Administrator, Vond Hall, and was authorized to act as the “Commissioner’s Designee for Approving Inter-County Adjustments of Allocated Funds for Calendar Year 2026.”
“We appreciate Vicki stepping up and taking care of this,” Westfall said.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was approved, entering into an agreement between County EMS and the City of Bryan Fire Department.
This allows the City of Bryan the use of an ambulance and will be routinely evaluated on a six-month basis.
Multiple permits were approved on behalf of the Bryan City Chamber of Commerce for upcoming events in the courthouse square on the 100 Block of Lynn and Butler. They are as follows:
-Spring Fling on May 12, 2026
-Jubilee on June 18-20, 2026
-Fall Fest on September 26, 2026
-Santa Parade on November 27, 2026
An executive session was entered into at 9:25 a.m. to discuss compensation with County Engineer Todd Roth. At 10:04 a.m., they returned to open session with no action.
Additionally, the discipline executive session requested by Rummel was discussed during this time as well.
The Port Authority Board joined the meeting to provide a progress update. As stated in their report, the Port Authority’s purpose is “to develop and promote residential housing that meets the economic needs of Williams County, supporting population growth, workforce stability, and long-term community vitality.”
“We continue to work with the Landbank to identify lots,” Ashley Epling stated. “We’ve also had local residents sell us lots as well. Any revenue we receive from the sale of these lots – we just put back into another development so we can continue to wash and repeat, to make an impact.”
The report stated that since 2023, the Port had supported the development of 20 single-family homes and three duplexes.
Housing activity was spread across the county, including areas in Bryan, Edgerton, Montpelier, West Unity, Edon, Stryker, and Pioneer.
Major funding and development milestones were highlighted. These included securing nine percent Low-Income Housing Tax Credits for a senior housing development underway in Bryan, receiving $1,000,000 in USDA funding to support infrastructure, and actively acquiring property for future residential homes.
The plans for the Bryan senior housing development continue to make progress. “We are working to secure the final piece of that with anticipation for breaking ground in June,” Epling continued.
“Locally, we had to match $258,000 to show our local contribution. We are going to request a grant from the Bryan Area Foundation for part of that, and the rest we are going to use the funds we have been able to raise ourselves.”
A plan to introduce subdivision developments was also discussed. Still in the early planning stages, the Port was awarded a $1,000,000 USDA grant for subdivision infrastructure.
“Our hope is that once we get one started, we can roll that into the next subdivision,” Epling affirmed.
The Port Authority works throughout Williams County without favoritism, working only with municipal approval and in compliance with local planning requirements.
Bill Martin discussed a large subdivision project potentially making its way to the Bryan area soon, specifically the Brown Subdivision property.
“There is, roughly, potential for 60 lots,” he explained, “and there can be certain restrictions in that subdivision that we will have to follow.”
With 1,500-square-foot homes, the properties themselves will already be larger than the Port typically works with. Costs are currently estimated to be around $3,500,000 to tackle the project.
“(The projects) are going to depend, in part, on what the villages decide what they can contribute per lot,” Dave Newcomer said.
He continues to commit that he will make sure that each community will have the chance to participate in the projects, with no favoritism for a single area, but the funds made available by the villages themselves will have an impact on progression.
Dawn Fitzcharles noted that the board members are currently on a volunteer basis.
“If we want to continue to have a viable organization, we cannot depend on the fact that we will always have board members that will give this much effort.”
“To develop housing, we need money,” Martin stated. “You’ve helped us raise money, we’ve raised money, and we’re off to a fantastic start.
“Now these bigger opportunities are out there in front of us, and we realized we need to divide and conquer.”
“It will take us another four to six weeks to get some of the big questions answered so we can dial in and put forth more specific descriptions,” Newcomer continued. “We are feeling pressure to generate housing, because we really need it.”
The Port Authority may be seeking some sort of financial aid from the county to continue its endeavors to build more housing for the residents of Williams County.
They will return to the Commissioners in a few weeks with a better course of action in mind.
With no further business, the commissioners adjourned at 10:30 a.m.