Pre-meeting release for 7/16 session

Commissioners to discuss federal COVID-19 funds in session Thursday morning

[Tiffin, OH July 14, 2020] – The Seneca County Board of Commissioners is to meet at 9 a.m. Thursday for a work session, followed by a regular meeting at 10.
The sessions are both to be held digitally via Zoom.
The commissioners are encouraging residents to join them in the online meetings through the application Zoom, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. To maintain maximum accessibility, the meetings will be recorded, archived and streamed live through Zoom. Residents can join the meetings 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.
Those who would rather call in and listen to the audio of the meetings can dial (646) 558-8656 and use the meeting ID.
Both meetings also are to be streamed on Facebook Live on the Seneca County Commissioners page.
During the work session, the commissioners will work with county elected officials and department heads to create a system for using federal CARES Act money.
Last week, the board approved a $923,175 budget that will allow the county to disburse funds for COVID-19-related expenses.
The funding, which was distributed after the approval of the federal CARES Act and other state legislation, provides about $2 million for political subdivisions across Seneca County. The county itself is to receive about $923,175, which can be used for any previously unbudgeted county expenses brought about by the current health crisis. The county has already logged about $550,000 of these expenses since March.
The budget was necessary to allow the county to begin divvying up the funds to county departments.
On Thursday, the commissioners plan to work with other officials to decide on a way for departments to request funding for reimbursement from this pool of money.
Each city, township and village in the county will also receive a piece of the original $2 million. The amount received by these political subdivisions is based on a formula devised by the state. These entities will then be tasked with creating their own system to reimburse their expenses related to the pandemic.
If subdivisions do not use the funding, it can be returned to other entities within the county based on need. Any funding not used by the end of the year is to be returned to the federal government.

In new business, the board is to consider:
* A $5,000 supplemental appropriation to the Ambulance Service Fund for contract repairs.
* A $16,515.22 supplemental appropriation to the County Sewer District Fund for contract services.
* A contract with M&B Asphalt for the CR 592 pavement widening and resurfacing project. On July 2, M&B was one of three companies to bid for the project. The Tiffin-area company’s bid was for $382,835.25
* Setting time, date and place to receive sealed bids for the Ohio Public Works Commission Issue 1 Round 34 road project.
* A subgrant agreement with the Greater Ohio Workforce Board on behalf of the Seneca County Department of Job and Family Services.
* An agreement with Seneca Crawford Area Transportation on behalf of Seneca County DJFS.