Pre-meeting release for 5/14 session

Commissioners to continue budget discussion, open bids for project

[Tiffin, OH May 12, 2020] – The Seneca County Board of Commissioners is to meet at 10 a.m. Thursday for a digital board session through Zoom.
The commissioners are encouraging residents to join them in the online meeting through the application Zoom, in light of the state’s Stay at Home Order that went into effect in March.
To maintain maximum accessibility, the meeting will be recorded, archived and streamed live through Zoom. Residents can join the meeting by computer or mobile device at the following link: https://zoom.us/j/92595230790.
Residents also can download the Zoom meeting app and join with meeting ID 925 9523 0790.
For those who would rather call in and listen to the audio of the meeting while it’s occurring, they can dial (646) 558-8656 and use the meeting ID. This Zoom information is the same as it was for the previous two meetings.
The session also will be streamed live on the Seneca County Commissioners Facebook page.
During old business, the commissioners are to continue discussing the county’s budget, as they continue to monitor new information about how the pandemic has affected tax revenues.
The board’s plan, which started being implemented last month, includes 20-percent decreases to salaries and wages in the General Fund to help meet the shortfall created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The cut in salaries is coupled with the zeroing out of travel budgets and the halving of supply budgets. The commissioners also instituted a hiring freeze, are in the process of re-evaluating and canceling many contracts and are not planning to undertake any capital projects without outside funding. The commissioners also closed the Seneca County Museum until the fiscal situation improves.
The board’s initial goal for the General Fund is to cut about $2 million from this year’s budget.
This plan was formulated following the Seneca County Budget Commission reducing its General Fund revenue projection for 2020 by $2 million earlier this month.
Nearly $2 million in cuts were formalized by the approval of a resolution during an April session.
As a result of these decreases, many county offices now are shut down on Fridays until further notice.
If you have questions about any office hours, please contact the office in question.
In other action, the commissioners are to open bids for the Village of Bloomville Sidewalk Replacement Project. This project is funded by the Community Development Block Grant. The commissioners also will open proposals as part of a request for proposals on behalf of the Seneca County Department of Job and Family Services.
Also during the meeting, the board is to enter into an executive session to discuss possible property acquisition.
In new business, the commissioners are to consider:
* A $50,000 supplemental appropriation to the Ditch Maintenance Fund for contract projects.
* A $9,176.25 supplemental appropriation to the General Fund for reclaimed estates and warrants.