Post-meeting release 3/31/22

Commissioners present proclamation to state champion TC Cheerleaders

[Tiffin, Ohio – March 31, 2022] – The Seneca County Board of Commissioners presented a proclamation to the state champion Tiffin Columbian High School cheerleaders during a session Thursday morning.
Coach Jami Hepp spoke to the commissioners about an amazing season in which TC brought home its first cheerleading state title since 2006.
Hepp was joined by six of the 19 members of the team, Savana Simcoe, Faith Egbert, Audrey Hepp, Bella Blust, Ryder Smith and Lydia Cole.
TCHS Athletic Director Daniel Hartsel said Hepp and the team did a “phenomenal job” this season.
“These student-athletes are amazing,” he said, adding that nearly 50 girls tried out for less than 20 positions on the team. “They juggle so much outside of cheerleading.”
Hartsel said many of the student-athletes also maintain a GPA above 3.2.
Hepp said she has been the head coach for the team for a little more than 25 years, and in total, she has helped out for 33.
Hepp was on the dance team at The Ohio State University, and she said she is happy to bring back her leadership and technical skills to the team.
The team won the Division II state championship in the Game Day competition on Feb. 27th at the OASSA State Cheer and Dance Championships.
All three of the commissioners congratulated the team on its awesome season.
“Ladies, we couldn’t be any prouder,” Commissioner Mike Kerschner said. “I guess we all, kind of flipped out over you (and your achievements).”
In other action, the commissioners agreed to submit a recommendation letter to the Ohio Department of Transportation to make SCAT the Rural Transit Program Grantee from 2023-2025. In 2019, the board of Shayne Thomas, Mike Kerschner and Holly Stacy, submitted a similar letter at the request of SCAT.
Habig updates the commissioners on the latest from SCAT. She said in 2019, 70,000 people were transported by the organization. This number dipped in 2020 and 2021 due to the global health crisis, but she said there have already been 20,000 rides provided this year, putting the organization on pace for nearly 80,000 transports.
Habig said the organization works on a $2.3 million operating and capital budget.
In other action, Board President Anthony Paradiso paraphrased a letter the commissioners received from Bettsville Mayor Scott Harrison on behalf of the 16 entities (townships and villages) that are considering forming one joint ambulance district to streamline the way emergency medical services are provided in the county.
The commissioners recommended that this group of 16 entities form a single joint ambulance district to contract with the county for EMS service as the groups work toward a 24/7 full-time paid service that is supplemented by volunteers. Since the birth of Seneca County EMS in 1978, the system has been primarily staffed by volunteer personnel.
The letter states that “the consensus is that we (the 16 entities) can work together to form the Seneca County Joint Ambulance District. The goal is to give the most cost effective and best service to our county residents. We look forward to working with the commissioners.”
Paradiso said the group doesn’t think it can move forward with asking county residents for a levy until May 2023. The groups also wants more details on how a relationship between the county and the new district would function and they also are still working together on agreeing on a millage that is attainable for the new district. Any new tax levy would replace the currently existing levies.
The letter and other discussions concerning the future of EMS in the rural areas of the county are to continue at the next stakeholders meeting on May 5th at 7 p.m. at the North Central Ohio Educational Service Center. This meeting is replacing the previously scheduled April 21st session that has been canceled. View the entire letter here.
Also during the session, the county opened bids for two projects.
The 2022 Chip Seal Project (with work to be completed on CR 8, 11, 18, 25, 28, 37, 44, 50, 56, 57, 60 and 90) received the following bids:
1.) Henry W. Bergman, Inc., for $687,694.60
2.) Unilliance, Inc., for $835,651.97
3.) Allied Construction, LLC, for $722,427.81
The engineer’s estimate for the project is $626,485.
The superstructure replacement (prestressed box beams) project (with work to be completed on TR 132, CR 49 and TR 8) received one bid from R&I Construction in the amount of $476,528.66. The engineer’s estimate for the project is $479,200.
During new business, the commissioners approved all appropriations and resolutions from the meeting agenda.