Post-meeting release 2/28

A group of Old Fort students donates hundreds of stuffed animals for children
Commissioners also hear update on Seneca County Museum, active transportation plan

[Tiffin, OH Feb. 28, 2019] – A group of seven students from Old Fort High School has been working to develop leadership skills through a class and their kindness through one program is to help hundreds of area children.
Earlier this month, the students sponsored a Teddy Bear Toss event that led to the collection of more than 200 stuffed animals that will be given to children in the Child Protective Services program.
At the board meeting Tuesday morning, Jeff Sell, Seneca County DJFS Protective Services Administrator and Protective Services Supervisor Mindy Strup, accepted more than 100 stuffed animals from the group. The rest were given to Sandusky County CPS.
The event was held this month during a basketball game between Old Fort and Calvert.
Commissioner Mike Kerschner saluted the student group for volunteering their time to help make the community a better place.
Students in the group include Nicole Fry, Karli Colson, Morgan Miller, Anna Wagner, Kaley Ivy, Harmon Channels and Trevor McClure. Sandy Adelsperger teaches the class.
In other action, Seneca County Museum Director Tonia Hoffert presented an annual report to commissioners. She said about 2,459 people visited the museum in 2018 and 2,815 volunteer hours were contributed.
Hoffert reviewed several events from the past year and reported that the museum recently received a $10,186 grant for new windows for the Carriage House. She said the money was awarded through the Tiffin Community Foundation’s Robert G. Teach Fund.
During old business, the board accepted the countywide active transportation plan. This does not commit funding to projects within the study but does add legitimacy to the document and could help in securing grant funding.
The grant-funded, $100,000 study established a countywide strategy evaluating walking, bicycling and busing. It provides maps and show how to upgrade the trail system and connect it with trail systems in other counties.
Watkins said among the top priorities in the plan are connecting county trails within the North Coast Inland Trail network and connecting trails near St. Francis into a countywide trail network.
A digital version of the plan is to be shared online soon, for more information, contact the regional planning office.

During appropriations, the board approved:
-> A $22,000 supplemental appropriation to the General Fund for Tiffin Seneca Economic Partnership funding.
-> A $4,500 supplemental appropriation to the General Fund for contract services at the county airport.
-> An $89,500 supplemental appropriation to the General Fund for contract services.
-> A $5,000 supplemental appropriation to the Ditch Maintenance Fund for other expenses.
-> A fund transfer from the General Fund to the Capital Improvements line of $350,000 for 2019 capital projects. The funding is for the countywide fiber ring project, for the data center project and for furnace replacement at the courthouse annex building.
-> Setting 10:30 a.m. April 4 as the time and date to receive bids for the CR 38 bridge rehab project.