County to receive $586,000 state grant to help residents with lead abatement
[Tiffin, OH – Aug. 17, 2023] — The Seneca County Board of Commissioners announced that the county had received a $586,000 grant Thursday morning.
County Administrator Barb Patterson said that Great Lakes Community Action Partnership obtained the Lead Safe Ohio Grant to help county residents with lead abatement projects.
Patterson said the county has no fiduciary responsibility through the grant program and it will allow citizens to get financial assistance with lead-safe building certification, screening and testing for lead poisoning, education and outreach and early intervention for children and families impacted by lead.
The Ohio General Assembly funded the program in House Bill 45, with money appropriated through the American Rescue Plan Act. Governor DeWine signed the bill into law on Jan. 6, 2023.
In other action, Commissioner Bill Frankart said the board signed a proclamation thanking Seneca County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members for their volunteer service to the community.
CERT volunteers who obtained 100 hours or more of service received a certificate from the Ohio Cert Program Office during a recognition dinner Tuesday acknowledging their dedication. The commissioners also sent a proclamation to be ready that named each of the volunteers who were honored.
Frankart thanked the volunteers during Thursday’s meeting, and named each of those who were honored. He congratulated: Dennis Behm, James Black, Suzanne Black, Joseph Brandt, Debra Hinton, Cindy Jordan, Michael Klaiss, Lori Knupp, DJ Leary, Amanda Maynard, Jason Maynard, John Meisner, Jennifer Ryman, Jennifer Sanders, Dan Stahl, Michael Spencer, James Stark, Tammy Waugaman, Charles Thomas and Christopher Woodruff.
Also during the meeting, the commissioners approved a $222,371 supplemental appropriation using federal American Rescue Plan Act funding for duct remediation at the County Services Building.
In other business, Patterson said the August sales tax report was $1,013,929.14. The number is about $32,000 less than the August 2022 report. Year to date through August, the county has collected about $7.9 million and is ahead by about 4.3 percent compared to the same period last year.
Seneca Conservation District Ditch Maintenance Technician Andrea Smythe visited the board meeting to discuss the county’s ditch maintenance six-year hearings.
She said ditches are on a six-year rotation for these hearings, and that most of the ditches approved by the commissioners in the ditch maintenance plan on Thursday did not see any significant changes to fees.
Smythe said those who were impacted by any changes had notices mailed to them. The one ditch that did have some changes was the Crum tile, she said. The tile is failing/damaged and it needs to be replaced. The commissioners were previously asked to front the money for its replacement which would be paid back over five years. The board did not yet decide on the financial matter, but a landowner meeting was held on Aug. 10th with all impacted landowners.
The tile has close to 30 landowners in this tile’s watershed and they will have increased costs for the replacement project.
The commissioners unanimously approved the six-year ditch maintenance plan.
During new business, the board approved all budget adjustments and resolutions from the meeting agenda.