Seneca Regional Chamber of Commerce provides updates at county commissioners’ meeting
By Sheri Trusty, Seneca County Media Relations Coordinator
Seneca Regional Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, Bryce Riggs, and Director of Marketing Marisa Stephens attended the Feb. 1 Seneca County Commissioners meeting to provide updates on upcoming events hosted by the chamber and Destination Seneca County. Among many other events, the pair are busy preparing for Seneca County’s Bicentennial this year and the April 8 solar eclipse.
Stephens said the county will kick off bicentennial events on April 1 at the Seneca County Museum. The free event will feature proclamations from state dignitaries, an account of the county’s history and museum tours. Bicentennial events include a self-guided historical driving tour and a beard contest.
“There are lots of things on the horizon,” Stephens said. “For more information, people can visit the Seneca County Bicentennial Facebook page or the Destination Seneca County website.”
Riggs gave updates on the chamber’s plans for the April 8 solar eclipse, including “Elope at the Eclipse” which gives couples the opportunity to marry in Tiffin during the eclipse. The event, which was the brainchild of Riggs and Stephens, hit national news after it was featured by Martha Stewart, People and Yahoo.
“As of today, we have 39 couples signed up from all over the country,” Riggs said. “A lot of people want to get married in Seneca County.”
Riggs expressed gratitude to the commissioners for their engagement with the chamber as they plan events for 2024.
“We want to thank the commissioners for all their support and for the funding,” Riggs said. “We want to say thank you to all the different partners who came together to make this a success.”
Seneca County Treasurer Paul Harrison spoke to the commissioners about real estate tax bills that were mistakenly mailed to some county homeowners due to a contract printer’s error.
“7,000 tax bills went to people who have an escrow account. They should not have received a bill,” Harrison said.
Anyone with an escrow account who mistakenly received a real estate tax bill can disregard it.
Commissioner Bill Frankart, who served as a township trustee for 15 years priors to becoming a commissioner, announced that Feb. 1 is Ohio Township Day, which was created to recognize the impact of township trustees.
“We have a great team of township trustees out there,” he said.
Commissioner Frankart announced that he will be among the celebrity chefs at the For the Love of Food Cooking Show hosted by the Kiwanis Club of Tiffin on Thursday, Feb. 8. Tickets cost $10 and can be purchased at Kiwanis Manor, the Tiffin City Schools Administration Building and Superior Credit Union.
Commissioner Tyler Shuff encouraged local residents to attend the Ohio EPA informational and public comment hearing on Feb. 5 regarding WIN Waste Innovations’ expansion plans. WIN Waste is requesting approval of permits that would allow it to expand from its current 261.3 acres to 479.8 acres, and, if approved, the landfill would be allowed to accept 12,000 tons of waste each day, most of which is brought by rail from East Coast states.
“I urge citizens to turn up for this and make your voice heard,” Shuff said.
Seneca County Administrator Barb Patterson said the Seneca County Opportunity Center will host events to celebrate Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month in March, including a drive-through Palm Sunday dinner at the center on March 24, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The dinner will include choice of chicken breast or ham, mashed potatoes with gravy, green beans, cole slaw, dinner roll and a cookie.
“We purchased the dinners last year,” Commissioner Frankart said. “It’s a great meal. They do a great job.”
In other business, the commissioners approved eight supplemental appropriations and passed nine resolutions, including setting the date to accept sealed bids for AWOS III P/T replacement at the Seneca County Airport. Bids will be opened in the commissioners’ office on Feb. 29 at 10 a.m.