Post-meeting Release, 10/19/23
Seneca County Commissioners vote to transfer the sewer district billing contract to Seneca County Auditor
By Sheri Trusty
[Tiffin, OH – Oct. 12, 2023] — The Seneca County Board of Commissioners voted to transfer the administration of sewer district billing accounts to Seneca County Auditor Julie Adkins effective Jan. 1. The accounts are currently managed by Seneca Regional Planning under the administration of Executive Director Charlene Watkins. The decision was made by unanimous vote.
Commissioner Anthony Paradiso and Watkins discussed current sewer district administrative differences. In the end, the commissioners voted to move the contract to the Auditor’s office for financial reasons.
The proposed 2024 contract for sewer district administration presented by Watkins to the commissioners includes an increase from 8 percent to 9 ½ percent for administrative fees. Commissioner Bill Frankart researched options for sewer district administration and learned the Seneca County Auditor can administer sewer district billing for 8 percent and will absorb the $18,600 user fee charged by Tyler Technologies into that 8 percent. As a result, the fee will not be passed to taxpayers. By transferring sewer district management to the Auditor’s office, the commissioners are saving taxpayers 1 ½ percent in administrative fees and the $18,600 user fee.
Tiffin mayoral candidate Lee Wilkinson addressed the meeting to promote Halloween events scheduled in Tiffin for the evening and to remind the public that early voting for the Nov. 7 election is now open. Seneca Regional Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, Bryce Riggs, said the chamber created an online parade registration process for all city parades to expediate the process for entrants.
The meeting took a lighthearted turn when Commissioner Tyler Shuff presented Commissioner Frankart with a Tiffin Columbian football jersey that Frankart had to wear after losing a bet to Shuff over the Sept. 29 Tiffin Columbian – Clyde football game.
In new business, commissioners approved various supplemental appropriations and approved four resolutions, including a resolution authorizing a contract with the Lucas County Board of Commissioners for the Lucas County Coroner to perform certain necessary autopsies and toxicology reports for 2024.
