Post-meeting release 1/7

Commissioners choose Kerschner as board president, Paradiso as VP
Board also chooses committee assignments, welcomes Shuff to the board

[Tiffin, OH Jan. 7, 2021] – The Seneca County Board of Commissioners met Thursday morning via Zoom for its first board session of 2021.
During the reorganization meeting, the commissioners chose Commissioner Mike Kerschner as board president and Commissioner Anthony Paradiso as board VP. Kerschner and Paradiso also served in these roles in 2020.
Also during the session, the commissioners chose committee assignments for 2021. Although these committee assignments are subject to change, you can view them here. http://senecacountyohio.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Res-Bd-Dept-Appt-21.pdf
Paradiso said he was pleased with the committee assignments.
“I’m on a couple of new ones, which I think is a good thing as a commissioner, to experience different things. I also think staying on some committees for a second year is good too,” he said. “It’s a good blend of assignments this year, I’m looking forward to it.”
One other matter for the reorganization is the schedule for 2021, which will remain the same as it was in 2020, with board sessions scheduled for each Thursday at 10 a.m.
In other business, Kerschner congratulated Paradiso and Shuff for being elected to four-year terms that began earlier this month. He also welcomed Shuff to his first meeting as a commissioner. Paradiso said he has enjoyed working with Shuff during his first week on the job.
“You’re excited and it’s good to have that around us,” Paradiso said to Shuff. “(Your energy) is contagious, I appreciate that.”
In other action, Paradiso said the lease between the county and the Barnes-Deinzer Seneca County Museum Foundation is ready to be signed. He thanked all those involved with the contract.
“We went back and forth a few times, but we’re there,” he said. “The foundation will be taking over any time now and I’m looking forward to that transition.”
During County Administrator Stacy Wilson’s report, she displayed a chart with revenue and expenses from the past few years. In 2020, the county finished with about $20.6 million in General Fund revenue and about $17.5 million in expenses. Kerschner said the revenue figure is inflated partially because of some unique, one-time revenues, such as a larger than usual rebate from the Bureau of Workers Compensation (about $725,000) and the Medicaid MCO sales tax transition fund (about $885,000). The Medicaid MCO money was one-time funding that was given to the county from the state in 2018 to assist Seneca and other counties transition to no longer receiving that Medicaid funding annually. That funding previously provided about $670,000 yearly to the county.
During the budget process last year, the commissioners worked hard to keep expenses low due to a high level of uncertainty about the economic ramifications of COVID-19 heading into 2021. The board officially approved a balanced budget last month.
Kerschner said the board has committed to re-evaluating the expense side of the General Fund budget after the first quarter of the year as the financial picture becomes more clear.

During new business, the board approved:
* A $27,000 supplemental appropriation to the General Fund for Software Licenses/Services.
* A $155,450 supplemental appropriation to the County Coronavirus Relief Distribution Fund.
* A$100,000 supplemental appropriation to the County Coronavirus Relief Distribution Fund for equipment.
* A $10,000 fund transfer to the Soil and Water Fund from the Soil and Water Local Government Fund.
* Amending the boards’ orders of Dec. 17, 2020, the annual appropriations resolution for the General Fund, per a court order.
* An agreement between the Seneca County Engineer and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Ohio Council.
* Appointing Tyler Shuff to the Great Lakes Community Action Partnership for a one-year term expiring Dec. 31, 2021.