At the June 8, 2016 meeting of the Clark County Commissioners approved contracts for the Department of Job and Family Services (DJFS) totaling almost $1.9 million. Four of the contracts were for shared funding agreements with agencies in the area. The first three contracts are effective July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017. First, they authorized a contract with the Clark County Juvenile Court and the Mental Health and Recovery Board of Clark, Greene, and Madison Counties for $434,389 to provide cluster services for Family and Children First Council.

They also approved a shared funding agreement contract with the Clark County Juvenile Court and the Mental Health and Recovery Board of Clark for $195,000 to provide home-based treatment services.

In addition, the commissioners approved a pooled funding project with Clark County Juvenile Court, Developmental Disabilities Board and the Mental Health and Recovery Board for $781,069 to proved placement and wraparound services through the Family and Children First Council.

Last, the commissioners approved a shared funding contract with the Board of Education of Springfield City Schools, Clark County Combined Health District, and Clark County Board of Developmental Disabilities for $44,387 for administrative services with Family and Children First Council effective July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017.

In other business for DJFS, the commissioners approved a contract with Developmental Disabilities of Clark County for $86,000 and a contract with The Village Network for $80,000 to provide foster care and residential placement for Children effective July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017. The Village Network is effective July 1, 2016 through December 31, 2017.

They also authorized a contract with Rocking Horse Community Health Center, Inc. for $282,144 to provide management of the Medicaid caseload in Clark County by assisting in the enrollment and continued participation of families in the Medicaid program.

In addition, the commissioners authorized a contract with United Way of Clark, Champaign and Madison Counties for $40,000 to provide information and referral to people in need of services in Clark County effective July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2018. This contract covers the cost of the 2-1-1 system run by United Way. The service connects individuals who need services throughout the county and across multiple states.

In other business, Executive Director Dean Blair of the Clark County Fair Board spoke to the commissioners concerning the work being done at the fairgrounds. First, he thanked the commissioners for their continued support.

In addition, he notified the commissioners that the Fair Board is a recipient of a grant for $50,000 from the Ohio Department of Agriculture. He said, “The grant funds improvements to the Mercantile, Arts and Craft Building, Annex and the Youth Buildings at the Fairgrounds. We will use the grant to recoat the roofs, and repair the soffits and gutters on the buildings. However, the Fair Board needs an additional $50,000 in matching funds. I would like to request $50,000 from the County Commissioners for these the matching funds.”

Commissioner John Detrick said, “I reluctantly will support providing the funds because of the grant; however, the fair board must do more to plan and pay for improvements to the facilities. We have spent over $500,000 in capital improvement in the last two years. The fairgrounds operate one of the top three flea markets in the nation, the top in Ohio. The fair board needs to work to increase tourism at the facility.”

Commissioner Richard Lohnes agreed, “The facility generates over 70% of Clark County’s tourism dollars. We need to build on that.”

Blair responded, “We want to see tourism grow.”

In addition, Blair outlined the board’s plans for additional improvements. He said, “In the fall, we plan to repair the caulking and cement. The next project is to add drop ceiling in all of the buildings and to replace the water heaters and add hand dryers. Ultimately, we would like to add air condition to the building s and wrap the buildings with new facades. We don’t want to tear the buildings down; we want to preserve them.”

County Administrator Nathan Kennedy agreed to prepare a contract for the $50,000 in matching funds.

County Engineer John Burr presented the annual ditch assessment report. In addition, he presented recommendations for the 2017 Ditch Assessments. According to Burr, a number of ditches are behind in funding because the current allowed base for some of the ditches is insufficient to cover the cost of regular ditch maintence. These include Goose Creek, Mill Run, Miller-Crain, Wilson, and Ogden. He said, “I can’t keep any more money in the fund, however, there is not enough to pay annual maintenance for the ditches. In order to change the assessments, the county must hold public hearings.”

He also noted that for each ditch the entire water shed must pay the assessments not just the property owners adjacent to the ditch.

In support of the 2016 road maintenance projects, the commissioners increased the contract with Barrett Paving Company by $4,037.87 to reflect actual cost for the construction project.

They also increased the contract with A-Team Property Management & Maintenance for the reconstruction of the men and women’s restrooms and kitchen in the Engineering building to reflect actual costs of the renovations.

In addition, the commissioners awarded contracts to The Shelly Company, A&B Asphalt Corporation, and Barrett Paving Materials, Inc for asphalt concrete. They awarded a contract to Asphalt Material, Inc for asphalt emulsion. They awarded a contract to Terry Materials, Inc for fog seal asphalt emulsion. In addition, they awarded bids to Barrett Paving Materials, Inc and Melvin Stone for the limestone.

For the ISP Director, the commissioners accepted a grant not to exceed $187,404 from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction to fund the Community-based correction program for adult probation and the Common Pleas Court. The grant is effective from July1, 2016 through June 30, 2017.

In regular business, the commissioners set a public hearing date to hear a rezoning request from Ina Sue Benfield for the property located at 129 W Main St, Medway to rezone the property from B-2 - Community Business to PD-M Planned Development - Mixed Use for Wednesday June 22, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. in the Public Chambers on the 5th Floor of the County Building.

In addition, they set the date and time for a public hearing for a road name change requested by Restoration Park Church for 10:00 a.m. on June 29, 2016 to change Victory’s Safety Lane to Restoration Park Drive located in Mad River Township.

For Building and Grounds, the commissioners approved a payment to Arcon Buildings for $72,873.73 for the Juvenile Court Courtyard Improvement Project. In addition, they decreased this contract by $4,000 because the contractor was able to leave the existing top layer of the masonry wall (coping) and terminate the new roof under the existing coping. The change eliminates the need to remove the existing metal coping and provide new coping.

For Springfield Township Trustees, the commissioners authorized a contract to provide zoning administration services for $25,000 per year paid quarterly Springfield Township has their own zoning code; however the county administers and enforces the code. The contract is effect May 1, 2016 and extends indefinitely.

The next meeting of the Clark County Commissioners is scheduled for June 15, 2016 at 8:30 a.m. in the Commissioners Conference Room at 50 E. Columbia Street.