Commission: AEP not closing Hillsboro center
By
Rory Ryan-hcpress@cinci.rr.com
Commission: AEP not closing Hillsboro center
By RORY RYAN
The Highland County Press
In a relatively abbreviated June 9 meeting, the Highland County Commission dispelled concerns that the Hillsboro AEP Service Center may be in the process of shutting down and relocating its personnel to the AEP Seaman Service Center.
With no appointments on the calendar at Wednesday’s meeting, Commissioner Gary Heaton said there have been recent rumors that AEP was closing its Service Center in Hillsboro. Heaton said this week that AEP’s community affairs manager, Jon Buck, informed him AEP is not closing the local center.
“Jon said some of their people are leaving, but they are not closing the local office,” Heaton said.
Commissioners Heaton, Shane Wilkin and Tom Horst signed a June 3 letter expressing concerns about the possible closing of the Hillsboro office.
“Closing the Hillsboro Service Center will result in longer delays in emergency response to 911 calls, reduce local income by lowering city income tax and cause slower response time to outage calls, resulting in longer down-time for manufacturing plants, hospitals and commercial
operations,” commissioners said.
* In other business, commissioners received notice from the Ohio State University Extension that 2011 rates charged to counties for educators would remain the same as 2010 rates.
Heaton said the OSU Extension rates are $25,000 for the first educator, $38,200 for the second educator and $40,000 for the third educator.
“Next year, we will probably only be able to fund the first educator,” Heaton said. Heaton added, “We have no plans to abandon the program as long as our revenues stay up.”
* With Commissioner Horst on vacation this week, Heaton and Wilkin discussed the proposed painting and renovations at the Highland County Courthouse. Heaton said one of the project’s bidders agreed to begin the work as long as the county can pay labor costs up front. The labor costs would be approximately $25,000, Heaton said.
“I’d be willing to do that,” Heaton said.
“I would like to follow up with Hemmings at OVDRC (Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission Director John Hemmings) for any money that might be available,” Wilkin said.
“(The contractor) said if we don’t do something in the next 12 to 18 months, it will cost a lot more,” Heaton said.
Commissioners did not take any immediate action on the courthouse exterior repairs.
* Commissioners scheduled the viewing for a proposal to vacate an alley between Lots 11 and 14 on Main Street in Buford for 10 a.m. June 30. A hearing on the proposal was set for 11 a.m. June 30.
* Commissioners signed a June 7 letter in “enthusiastic” support of the city of Greenfield’s Green Field Alternative Energy Resource Center, saying the city’s “plan to erect wind turbines will not only provide income from the energy sold to the local electric company, but will provide an outdoor classroom for the study of present and future green energy technologies and stimulate economic growth in a region devastated by the loss of industry.”
Commissioners met Monday in Greenfield with City Manager Betty Bishop.
* Commissioners said a county auction is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Aug. 3 at the Highland County Fairgrounds for all county departments that may have items for sale. A departmental list of items is requested by June 21. The Hess Auction Company is conducting the sale.
Business Retention &
Expansion forum June 15
The public is invited to a community forum designed to present findings from the Highland County Business Retention & Expansion (BR&E) Initiative and to invite your input toward developing a turnaround plan and beyond for Highland County on Tuesday, June 15, in the Alley 21 Bicentennial Room from 5-7 p.m. A brief 30-minute program will begin at 5:30 p.m., followed by informal conversations focused on solutions for economic growth. To RSVP, or for further information, call Rose Fisher Merkowitz, OSU Extension, Highland County at 937-393-1918 or Katy Farber, Highland County Chamber of Commerce, at 937-393-1111.
Resolutions
Commissioners passed the following resolutions by 2-0 votes:
* Authorization of the May 2009 mandated distribution of Child Support Enforcement Agency Administrative Account funds to the public assistance account, in the amount of $10,034.63.
* The authorization of a modification to the Recycling Grant budget from other expense to overhead, in the amount of $5.50.
* A reimbursement to Help Me Grow, from Help Me Grow, Reimburse, to Help Me Grow (County) in the amount of $45,287.46. The S-26 Help Me Grow fund is no longer required as a pass-through.
* Authorization for the Highland County sheriff to apply for and if awarded, enter into an agreement to administer a DARE grant through the Office of the Attorney General for the school year period beginning August 2010 to June 2011.
* Authorization of an additional appropriation to the Capital Improvement budget as follows: from Unappropriated funds to Other Expense, in the amount of $6,051.92, and Wireless Expense, in the amount of $47,725.00.
* The authorization of a modification to the Children Services Gift Fund budget as follows: from Allowances to Miscellaneous, in the amount of $1,200.
* The authorization of an additional appropriation to the CAO Housing Rehabilitation budget as follows: Unappropriated funds to Expenses, in the amount of $7,325.00.
* The re-appointment of the following members to the Workforce Investment Act Policy Board: LuAnn Winkle, Julie Wise, Karen Davis, Bill Smith and Gemelia Tyler; and the appointment of Jim Wester of Great Oaks to replace Bob Bowermeister.
* The authorization of a modification to the Board of DD General Fund budget from Contract Services to Equipment, in the amount of $25,000.
In a relatively abbreviated June 9 meeting, the Highland County Commission dispelled concerns that the Hillsboro AEP Service Center may be in the process of shutting down and relocating its personnel to the AEP Seaman Service Center.
With no appointments on the calendar at Wednesday’s meeting, Commissioner Gary Heaton said there have been recent rumors that AEP was closing its Service Center in Hillsboro. Heaton said this week that AEP’s community affairs manager, Jon Buck, informed him AEP is not closing the local center.
“Jon said some of their people are leaving, but they are not closing the local office,” Heaton said.
Commissioners Heaton, Shane Wilkin and Tom Horst signed a June 3 letter expressing concerns about the possible closing of the Hillsboro office.
“Closing the Hillsboro Service Center will result in longer delays in emergency response to 911 calls, reduce local income by lowering city income tax and cause slower response time to outage calls, resulting in longer down-time for manufacturing plants, hospitals and commercial operations,” commissioners said.
* In other business, commissioners received notice from the Ohio State University Extension that 2011 rates charged to counties for educators would remain the same as 2010 rates.
Heaton said the OSU Extension rates are $25,000 for the first educator, $38,200 for the second educator and $40,000 for the third educator.
“Next year, we will probably only be able to fund the first educator,” Heaton said. Heaton added, “We have no plans to abandon the program as long as our revenues stay up.”
* With Commissioner Horst on vacation this week, Heaton and Wilkin discussed the proposed painting and renovations at the Highland County Courthouse. Heaton said one of the project’s bidders agreed to begin the work as long as the county can pay labor costs up front. The labor costs would be approximately $25,000, Heaton said.
“I’d be willing to do that,” Heaton said.
“I would like to follow up with Hemmings at OVDRC (Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission Director John Hemmings) for any money that might be available,” Wilkin said.
“(The contractor) said if we don’t do something in the next 12 to 18 months, it will cost a lot more,” Heaton said.
Commissioners did not take any immediate action on the courthouse exterior repairs.
* Commissioners scheduled the viewing for a proposal to vacate an alley between Lots 11 and 14 on Main Street in Buford for 10 a.m. June 30. A hearing on the proposal was set for 11 a.m. June 30.
* Commissioners signed a June 7 letter in “enthusiastic” support of the city of Greenfield’s Green Field Alternative Energy Resource Center, saying the city’s “plan to erect wind turbines will not only provide income from the energy sold to the local electric company, but will provide an outdoor classroom for the study of present and future green energy technologies and stimulate economic growth in a region devastated by the loss of industry.”
Commissioners met Monday in Greenfield with City Manager Betty Bishop.
* Commissioners said a county auction is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Aug. 3 at the Highland County Fairgrounds for all county departments that may have items for sale. A departmental list of items is requested by June 21. The Hess Auction Company is conducting the sale.
Business Retention &
Expansion forum June 15
The public is invited to a community forum designed to present findings from the Highland County Business Retention & Expansion (BR&E) Initiative and to invite your input toward developing a turnaround plan and beyond for Highland County on Tuesday, June 15, in the Alley 21 Bicentennial Room from 5-7 p.m. A brief 30-minute program will begin at 5:30 p.m., followed by informal conversations focused on solutions for economic growth. To RSVP, or for further information, call Rose Fisher Merkowitz, OSU Extension, Highland County at 937-393-1918 or Katy Farber, Highland County Chamber of Commerce, at 937-393-1111.
Resolutions
Commissioners passed the following resolutions by 2-0 votes:
* Authorization of the May 2009 mandated distribution of Child Support Enforcement Agency Administrative Account funds to the public assistance account, in the amount of $10,034.63.
* The authorization of a modification to the Recycling Grant budget from other expense to overhead, in the amount of $5.50.
* A reimbursement to Help Me Grow, from Help Me Grow, Reimburse, to Help Me Grow (County) in the amount of $45,287.46. The S-26 Help Me Grow fund is no longer required as a pass-through.
* Authorization for the Highland County sheriff to apply for and if awarded, enter into an agreement to administer a DARE grant through the Office of the Attorney General for the school year period beginning August 2010 to June 2011.
* Authorization of an additional appropriation to the Capital Improvement budget as follows: from Unappropriated funds to Other Expense, in the amount of $6,051.92, and Wireless Expense, in the amount of $47,725.00.
* The authorization of a modification to the Children Services Gift Fund budget as follows: from Allowances to Miscellaneous, in the amount of $1,200.
* The authorization of an additional appropriation to the CAO Housing Rehabilitation budget as follows: Unappropriated funds to Expenses, in the amount of $7,325.00.
* The re-appointment of the following members to the Workforce Investment Act Policy Board: LuAnn Winkle, Julie Wise, Karen Davis, Bill Smith and Gemelia Tyler; and the appointment of Jim Wester of Great Oaks to replace Bob Bowermeister.
* The authorization of a modification to the Board of DD General Fund budget from Contract Services to Equipment, in the amount of $25,000.
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