Pre-meeting release for 3/21 session

Commissioners to hear update on Wolf Creek Ditch Project

[Tiffin, OH March 19, 2019] — The Seneca County Board of Commissioners is to meet at 10 a.m. Thursday at its office, 111 Madison St.
The board is to hear an update from County Engineer Mark Zimmerman on the Wolf Creek Ditch Project.
The project, which was started through a 2012 petition, is to remove obstructions from the main ditch of Wolf Creek from the county line near Alvada to the county line near Bettsville.
After the petition was approved, residents were given the opportunity to do some work themselves. Many decided against that option, and the county decided to hire a private firm to complete the project.
In January 2017, commissioners approved a $36,800 contract with Feller Finch for the project’s design.
In June 2017, Zimmerman said there were about 392 log jams to be removed, making the total cost estimate at that time about $315,000.
Construction for the project has occurred along 11 miles of the ditch in Liberty, Jackson, Hopewell and Loudon Townships. About 7,000 parcels of land have been affected.
Costs have been paid upfront by the county and will be paid back by landowners via assessments.
If the payments are under a certain threshold, they must be paid immediately, while others will be able to pay semi-annually with property taxes over a three- or five-year period.
Zimmerman will further discuss the mostly-completed project on Thursday.
In other business, a public hearing is to begin at 10:30 a.m. so information related to the Community Development Block Grant program can be shared. Funding could be available to the county, villages and townships through the program this year. The county has received funding through the program for several projects in recent years.
The hearing will provide citizens with pertinent information about CDBG programs, including an explanation of eligible activities, applicable program requirements and application due dates. A second public hearing is to occur later.
Seneca County also is to host the Community Development Implementation Strategy meeting at 1 p.m. April 3 at the commissioners’ office.
Citizens are encouraged to attend these meetings to provide input in the county’s programs.
In other action, as owners of the Seneca County Airport, the commissioners have been asked by sPower to provide a letter of support to the Ohio Power Siting Board for the Seneca Wind Project. The letter would, if approved by the board, state there is no objection to the determination of the Federal Aviation Administration as it relates to wind farms. The matter is to be discussed further Thursday.
Also during the meeting, an executive session regarding personnel/employment is to be held.

During appropriations, the board is to consider:
* A $1,461.79 supplemental appropriation to the County Sewer District Fund for other expenses.
* A $4,040 supplemental appropriation to the Sewer District Replacement and Improvement Fund for capital improvements in New Riegel.
* The sale of a 2002 Dodge Dakota on behalf of the Seneca Conservation District.
* Appointing Seneca Conservation District as the Apiary Inspector for Seneca County.
* Approving the IV-D service contract between the county common pleas courts, the juvenile clerk, the juvenile magistrate, the clerk of courts and the county on behalf of Seneca County Department of Job and Family Services.