Post-meeting release 12/29

Commissioners congratulate Zimmerman for being county engineer of the year

[Tiffin, OH Dec. 29, 2020] – The Seneca County Board of Commissioners met Tuesday morning for its final scheduled board meeting of 2020.
During the session, Board President Mike Kerschner congratulated Seneca County Engineer Mark Zimmerman for being chosen as the county engineer of the year by the County Engineers Association of Ohio.
“Mark has been a wonderful, elected official in Seneca County and we would like to convey our sincere congratulations to him,” Kerschner said. “It’s nice to see one of our own in the newspaper this morning, with a big smiling face and a plaque.”
According to an article written by Vicki Johnson in The Advertiser-Tribune, the association awards an engineer who demonstrates outstanding service to his or her community and to the state.
Zimmerman said in the article that he is proud and honored to serve as Seneca County Engineer.
The Seneca County Engineer’s office is responsible for maintaining an infrastructure that includes 403 county-maintained bridges, more than 390 miles of county roads, 1,400-plus culverts, thousands of signs and hundreds of miles of roadside tile and ditches.
In other business, the board agreed to add $500,000 to the Capital Fund.
During the Dec. 17 meeting, the commissioners began prioritizing capital projects for 2021. County Administrator Stacy Wilson said about $350,000 had already been set aside for capital projects for next year, bringing the total of funding for capital projects entering next year to $850,000. The commissioners could move additional funding to the capital line in 2021 if they deem it financially prudent. Prioritized projects include replacing the County Services Building wall and making the entrance Americans with Disabilities Act accessible and upgrading the roof on the Department of Job and Family Services building. During the meeting on the 17th Wilson presented more than $2.5 million of capital projects that were deferred in previous budgets.
Also during the meeting, the commissioners agreed to move unused CARES Act funding to the General Fund to be used for the reimbursement of public safety payroll, as allowed by state and federal law. Wilson said about $158,000 was to be returned by Seneca County Department of Job and Family Services, while an undetermined amount is also expected to be returned by Tiffin-Seneca United Way. The two organizations, along with Fostoria Economic Development Corp, Tiffin-Seneca Economic Partnership and Great Lakes Community Action Partnership were each given county CARES Act money to fund financial assistance programs for local residents, businesses and nonprofits. The county committed more than $1.25 million to the program.

During new business, the board approved:
* An $11,372.04 supplemental appropriation to the County Coronavirus Relief Distribution Fund for salaries.
* A $37,104.59 supplemental appropriation to the County Sales Tax Revenue Fund.
* Supplemental appropriations of $372.98, $536.70 and $620.86 to the General Fund for PERS, to update amounts necessary after the state-required increase of salaries for elected officials.
* A contract for medical services with Dr. Chris Sears on behalf of the Seneca County Sheriff’s Office.
* An annual meeting hosted by the Seneca County Engineer to include county and township authorities for March 18 at 6 p.m.
* The expenditure of funds for supplies for times of snow removal, emergencies and meetings held by the county engineer.
* The county engineer’s use of the “force account” pursuant to Ohio law for 2021 in the matter of routine maintenance of equipment and yard facilities, and such emergency work as needed.
* The preparation and submission of application by the Seneca County Engineer to participate in the Ohio Public Works Commission State Capital Improvement and/or Local Transportation Improvement programs.
* Designated Mark R. Zimmerman as the authorized agent to participate in the ODOT Cooperative Purchasing Program.
* A contract with Appraisal Research Corporation on behalf of the Seneca County Auditor’s Office.