Post-meeting release 4/29/21

Commissioners recognize Girl Scout for achievement, thank health commissioner

[Tiffin, OH April 29, 2021] – The Seneca County Board of Commissioners congratulated a local woman Thursday for her unique achievement.
Eva McGinnis joined the board to receive a letter of recognition after she was given the coveted Girl Scout Gold Award. The award is the highest achievement in Girl Scouts.
In the letter, the commissioners write that “the award is a great representation of your hard work and dedication to those less fortunate.”
McGinnis, of Kansas, OH, is a graduate of Lakota High School and is currently attending Owens Community College, majoring in Early Childhood Education. Her Girl Scout project included providing educational enrichment for children experiencing homelessness. She created art kits for local shelters, as well as individual kits for children to take with them when they leave. Working with the Liberty Center in Fremont and the Morrison House in Tiffin, Eva created a curriculum with twenty-five different crafts the children could do and provided kits for the shelters. These kits were easy to store and transport if children continued to have unstable housing. Due to COVID-19, the art classes that Eva planned to run were reworked into videos for the shelter to show. Eva donated two supply cabinets full of supplies so the shelter would be able to continue providing enrichment opportunities.
Each of the commissioners thanked McGinnis for her hard work. “We are honored to have dedicated young people like you within Seneca County, helping and caring for others during their time of need,” the recognition letter states.
In other action, the board welcomed Health Commissioner Beth Schweitzer and thanked her for her service to the community over the past seven years. Schweitzer is set to retire Friday after nearly 30 years in public health. The board then presented a video with remarks from local leaders thanking Schweitzer for her service, and specifically for her leadership during the pandemic. You can view the video here.
Also during the session, Jacob Huner, Regional Liaison for the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office, provided an update to the commissioners.
Huner said Secretary of State Frank LaRose just visited the county earlier this week to discuss part of his office’s function, granting the authority for individuals to do business in the state. He said despite the negative impact of the COVID-19 crisis, the state was still breaking records for business filings. This, he said, is a testament to the spirit of Ohio entrepreneurs.
Huner also said preparations for the upcoming May 4th election are going well, but he also remarked on the overwhelming success of the 2020 Presidential Election. He said Ohio set an example nationwide on how to run a safe, secure and fair election.
Huner also passed along kudos from the Secretary of State’s Office to the commissioners and the Seneca County Board of Elections team for keeping up with cybersecurity directives and for being transparent and accessible to the public.
Also during the meeting, Mental Health and Recovery Services Board of Seneca, Sandusky and Wyandot Counties Executive Director Mircea Handru addressed the board about the possibility of Ottawa County’s mental health board joining the district. He said more research must be done, and that he would not recommend a merger without knowing it would benefit all of the counties currently in the organization. If he finds that a merger would make sense, he said he would communicate with the commissioners further. A merger would require an affirmative vote for each of the boards of commissioners in Seneca, Sandusky, Wyandot and Ottawa counties. Handru said several other steps must occur before any action is taken, but he wanted to communicate the possibility early on so the commissioners are aware of it.

In new business, the board approved all resolutions from the pre-meeting release and:
* Accepted the resignation of Nicole Smith as clerk for the board, and thanked her for her service to the county.
* Appointed Kylie Garner as the Clerk/Assistant Administrator for the board.
* Signed the satisfaction of mortgage for Ostolla Baker for the satisfaction of her loan with the board for work done through the Community Housing Improvement Program.
* Authorized an agreement with Thomas P. Miller and associates on behalf of the Seneca County Department of Job and Family Services. The agreement outlines the details of a regional wage and benefits survey to be completed by the company. The initiative, which includes a partnership between Seneca County DJFS and Tiffin-Seneca Economic Partnership, is grant-funded by the Greater Ohio Workforce Board and will cost about $22,535.