Highland County commissioners issue Buddy Poppy Month proclamation

Highland County commissioners Terry Britton, David Daniels and Brad Roades proclaimed the month of May as Buddy Poppy Month during their Wednesday, May 3 meeting.

Accepting the proclamation was Dick Emery on behalf of Hillsboro VFW Post 9094. All three commissioners, as well as commission clerk Ashleigh Willey, wore their poppies throughout the meeting.

Buddy Poppies have been sold by VFW organizations since 1922. All donations from the sale of Buddy Poppies stay in the county and are put into the VFW’s relief fund, which is used to help local veterans. The poppies are also assembled by disabled veterans.

“All the money that we get, it stays right here in the local area,” Emery told commissioners.

Poppies can be obtained for a donation at the county commissioners’ office, as well as the county auditor’s office, both at the Highland County Administration Building. Poppies are also available in the lobby of Hillsboro’s city building.

Representatives from area veterans organizations will also be selling poppies at businesses such as Community Markets, Ponderosa and Save-a-Lot throughout the month.

Roades read the proclamation recognizing May 2023 as “Poppy Month” in Highland County and encouraging the community to help in the VFW’s “desire to honor the dead by helping the living.”
For more information on supporting the Buddy Poppies fundraiser, please contact the VFW at (937) 393-0211.

In other discussion:

• Commissioners accepted a quote for equipment for a new Highland County Sheriff’s Office cruiser, which then prompted a discussion on whether such action needs to be taken during the commission’s weekly meetings.

Britton said the quote from B&C Communications was for $8,784.08 for one cruiser, which will include necessary equipment such as lights, computers and radios.

Since the county has approved the purchase of two cruisers, Britton said, “there will be another one of these” contracts coming later.

“It’s something that they’ve got to have,” he said.

After voting 3-0 to approve the purchase, Daniels said he was concerned that waiting until each Wednesday to make such approvals is “hampering the operations” of county departments.

“Some of the stuff that comes in is under our bid threshold,” he said. “I just want to make sure that we're not hampering our operations.”

As an example, Daniels cited the commission’s previous meeting, where a $4,570 quote to repair a broken garbage disposal at the Justice Center was approved by commissioners.

“I think we’re better off to go ahead [and approve] when those things are reasonable, and we have obviously called around and got two or three quotes,” he said. “I think we can add that in discussion that we’ve purchased those things.”

Britton said it was “a good point” and added that most of these approvals are “way under our limits” for bid thresholds.

“As long as we can prove that we did some due diligence,” Daniels said.

• Commissioners approved five separate contracts, each by a 3-0 vote. Those include:

— A Child Support IV-D Contract among commissioners, CSEA and the prosecutor’s office for April 1, 2023-March 31, 2024.

— A contract with commissioners and the engineer’s office awarding the 2023 Highland County Chip Seal Program to Miller-Mason Paving Company. As previously reported, a bid opening was held at commissioners’ April 12 meeting, with Miller-Mason’s bid coming in at $571,000.

— A contract among commissioners, the prosecutor and FlexTG Financial Services for a Sharp BP printer lease. Daniels said “it’s time to turn” the current printer “back in and re-lease a new one.”

— A five-year contract among commissioners, the Sheriff’s Office and Keefe Commissary Network, LLC, for June 4, 2023 to June 3, 2028.

— A contract between commissioners and the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services based on the “State of Ohio’s response to Russia’s unjust war on the country of Ukraine.”

According to Roades, this is based on an executive order issued by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine in March 2022. The Governor’s Office wrote last year that the order was issued “prohibiting State of Ohio investment or purchasing activity from aiding Russia in violating the rights of the Ukrainian people.”

State agencies were ordered to “terminate” any existing contracts with Russian companies and to “have specific standard contract language that prohibits the purchases of services from or investments in Russian institutions or companies.”

“This is what we go through when we have that put in our bid documents so that our contractors aren't using services provided by them,” Daniels said.

— Commissioners also voted 3-0 to approve a resolution for the  reduction of load limits of structure on Township Road 134-1.81 Line Road. According to the resolution, the “County Engineer [was] made aware of the new load rating requirement and under his expertise and recommendation,” commissioners approved the adjustment.

• Greenfield City Manager Todd Wilkin also attended the meeting, and Britton asked if he had anything to “bring to the board.” Wilkin invited the community to attend the village’s First Friday event, set for Friday, May 5 from 5-9 p.m. The event in uptown Greenfield will include a concert by Sean Poole and Buckin’ Crazy, an art display and food by Steph’s Gourmet Cart.

As noted by the city manager, the Greenfield Area Ministerial Association is also recognizing the National Day of Prayer Thursday, May 4, including an observance at noon at the Greenfield City Building plaza and a second observance at several different locations at 6:30 p.m. For more, see the story at: https://highlandcountypress.com/social/greenfield-area-ministerial-asso….

“I think we'll see a lot of services around the county for that,” Wilkin said.

• At 9:30 a.m., commissioners and other county officials entered an executive session with state auditors for a pre-audit conference.

• A records retention committee meeting was held at 11:30 a.m.