Grant application for renovations likely to be rejected
By
Rory Ryan-hcpress@cinci.rr.com
Highland County commissioners received less than encouraging news regarding a grant application for renovations at the Highland County Courthouse and the Hi-TEC building at this week’s commission meeting.
In his economic development report, Dan Cowdrey informed commissioners that a funding request through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant was likely to be rejected. The funding would aid renovation work at both buildings.
“We’re hearing {from Columbus} that these things are not on their agenda {as far as stimulus funding,}” Cowdrey said. “They have a higher priority on jobs and infrastructure.”
Cowdrey suggested that commissioners seeks funds for the preservation of a historic building, possibly through the Ohio Historical Society. Highland County’s courthouse is the oldest courthouse in continuous use as such in Ohio.
Cowdrey said the application process is often left to interpretation.
“That’s part of the problem,” Commissioner Gary Heaton said. “Their interpretation of ‘jobs created’ is different than ours. But a job created is a job created.”
Commissioners said the courthouse is in need of exterior painting and the front doors need to be replaced.
Cowdrey also updated the commissioners on the proposed private dock development near the Rocky Fork Lake Golf Course. The proposal has been rejected by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
“It sounds like he (developer Jamie Brandenburg) will have to move forward without the boat docks,” Commissioner Shane Wilkin said.
Cowdrey said a lake alliance may attempt further discussions with the ODNR.
The commissioners had supported the request from Brandenburg based on the potential for greater economic development for the lake area.
In other economic development news, Cowdrey said the county could seek $320,000 in airport improvement funds through the Federal Aviation Administration; however, there is a 5-percent match requirement for the county. The money could be used for runway extension, a maintenance building or obstruction (tree) removal. The county match would be $16,000. “We just don’t have it,” Wilkin said.
“Some of these government entities need to waive the requirement for a match,” Heaton said. “Can you ask for a waiver on the 5 percent? We could use the grant to keep and retain jobs, especially since we’re No. 1 in the state in unemployment.”
“We need that grant to retain jobs,” Commissioner Tom Horst said. “Please see if you can get a waiver on the match.”
Cowdrey said he would seek a waiver on the county’s 5-percent contribution.
• Commissioners also met with Julie Wise of Highland County Community Action regarding the purchase of 2,612 square feet at $11 per square foot at the North High location.
The contract could be in place by Nov. 1. The additional space will be used for the Housing Weatherization Department, Wise said. With the additional space, she expects as many as 29 new positions.
• Commissioners heard from Highland County Prosecutor Jim Grandey, who updated the board on an agreement with C.F. Airtronics, which operates at the county airport.
C.F. Airtronics will be paying the county $4,800 for the last two months of the year, then vacating the airport, effective Dec. 31, Grandey said.
In other action, commissioners approved the following resolutions, all by 3-0 votes:
• The authorization of additional appropriation within the Victim-Witness budget from unappropriated funds to Court Fines and Fees in the amount of $144.
• A modification with the Board of Elections budget from Workers Compensation to Salary-Officials ($1,238.64), Salary-Employees ($3,734.63), Supplies ($500), Contracts and Services ($500), and Salary Part-Time ($1,600), for a total amount of $7,573.27.
• The authorization of additional appropriation within the Help Me Grow within the S26 Budget from unappropriated funds to Contracts and Services in the amount of $52,291.70.
• A modification to lower the following line items within the Highland County Board of Developmental Disabilities Help Me Grow Budget: Salaries ($186,250); Supplies ($4,297); Contracted Services ($37,576.49); Equipment ($2,000); PERS ($24,455); Workers Comp. ($3,400); Insurance ($65,028); Medicare ($4,032); Rental ($12,500); Travel ($13,500); Other Expense ($17,446.51); and Stimulus ($40,278), for a total of $410,763.
• A modification within the Rocky Fork Lake Sewer budget from Repairs to Supplies, in the amount of $2,000.
• The adoption of the Cost Savings Days Policy and that these policies be made a part of the Personnel Policy and Procedures Manual revised February 2006 and that these attached policies be effective July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010 and beyond.
• The approval of the resignation of Tim Priest to the MRDD Board.
• The approval of the board appointment of C. Denise Fauber to the Highland County Board of Developmental Disabilities, effective Oct. 19, 2009 through Dec. 31, 2012.
• The modification within the Juvenile Division Budget from Juvenile Other Expense to Juvenile Supplies, in the amount of $710.
• The authorization of additional appropriation within the Issue II budget from unappropriated funds to Other Expense, in the amount of $59,118.
• The authorization of additional appropriation within the Engineers budget from un-appropriated funds to Contracts and Services, in the amount of $344.76.
• A modification within the Community Probation budget from Electronic Monitoring to Equipment, in the amount of $4,000.
• The authorization of additional appropriation within the Highland County Developmental Disabilities budget from un-appropriated funds to Storage Building Other Expense, in the amount of $22,094.40.
• The authorization of a transfer from Indigent Guardianship Fund from Transfers Out to Probate Salary-Employees, in the amount of $10,000.
• A modification within the Juvenile budget from Probate Salary-Employees to Juvenile Salary-Employees, in the amount of $10,000.[[In-content Ad]]
In his economic development report, Dan Cowdrey informed commissioners that a funding request through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant was likely to be rejected. The funding would aid renovation work at both buildings.
“We’re hearing {from Columbus} that these things are not on their agenda {as far as stimulus funding,}” Cowdrey said. “They have a higher priority on jobs and infrastructure.”
Cowdrey suggested that commissioners seeks funds for the preservation of a historic building, possibly through the Ohio Historical Society. Highland County’s courthouse is the oldest courthouse in continuous use as such in Ohio.
Cowdrey said the application process is often left to interpretation.
“That’s part of the problem,” Commissioner Gary Heaton said. “Their interpretation of ‘jobs created’ is different than ours. But a job created is a job created.”
Commissioners said the courthouse is in need of exterior painting and the front doors need to be replaced.
Cowdrey also updated the commissioners on the proposed private dock development near the Rocky Fork Lake Golf Course. The proposal has been rejected by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
“It sounds like he (developer Jamie Brandenburg) will have to move forward without the boat docks,” Commissioner Shane Wilkin said.
Cowdrey said a lake alliance may attempt further discussions with the ODNR.
The commissioners had supported the request from Brandenburg based on the potential for greater economic development for the lake area.
In other economic development news, Cowdrey said the county could seek $320,000 in airport improvement funds through the Federal Aviation Administration; however, there is a 5-percent match requirement for the county. The money could be used for runway extension, a maintenance building or obstruction (tree) removal. The county match would be $16,000. “We just don’t have it,” Wilkin said.
“Some of these government entities need to waive the requirement for a match,” Heaton said. “Can you ask for a waiver on the 5 percent? We could use the grant to keep and retain jobs, especially since we’re No. 1 in the state in unemployment.”
“We need that grant to retain jobs,” Commissioner Tom Horst said. “Please see if you can get a waiver on the match.”
Cowdrey said he would seek a waiver on the county’s 5-percent contribution.
• Commissioners also met with Julie Wise of Highland County Community Action regarding the purchase of 2,612 square feet at $11 per square foot at the North High location.
The contract could be in place by Nov. 1. The additional space will be used for the Housing Weatherization Department, Wise said. With the additional space, she expects as many as 29 new positions.
• Commissioners heard from Highland County Prosecutor Jim Grandey, who updated the board on an agreement with C.F. Airtronics, which operates at the county airport.
C.F. Airtronics will be paying the county $4,800 for the last two months of the year, then vacating the airport, effective Dec. 31, Grandey said.
In other action, commissioners approved the following resolutions, all by 3-0 votes:
• The authorization of additional appropriation within the Victim-Witness budget from unappropriated funds to Court Fines and Fees in the amount of $144.
• A modification with the Board of Elections budget from Workers Compensation to Salary-Officials ($1,238.64), Salary-Employees ($3,734.63), Supplies ($500), Contracts and Services ($500), and Salary Part-Time ($1,600), for a total amount of $7,573.27.
• The authorization of additional appropriation within the Help Me Grow within the S26 Budget from unappropriated funds to Contracts and Services in the amount of $52,291.70.
• A modification to lower the following line items within the Highland County Board of Developmental Disabilities Help Me Grow Budget: Salaries ($186,250); Supplies ($4,297); Contracted Services ($37,576.49); Equipment ($2,000); PERS ($24,455); Workers Comp. ($3,400); Insurance ($65,028); Medicare ($4,032); Rental ($12,500); Travel ($13,500); Other Expense ($17,446.51); and Stimulus ($40,278), for a total of $410,763.
• A modification within the Rocky Fork Lake Sewer budget from Repairs to Supplies, in the amount of $2,000.
• The adoption of the Cost Savings Days Policy and that these policies be made a part of the Personnel Policy and Procedures Manual revised February 2006 and that these attached policies be effective July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010 and beyond.
• The approval of the resignation of Tim Priest to the MRDD Board.
• The approval of the board appointment of C. Denise Fauber to the Highland County Board of Developmental Disabilities, effective Oct. 19, 2009 through Dec. 31, 2012.
• The modification within the Juvenile Division Budget from Juvenile Other Expense to Juvenile Supplies, in the amount of $710.
• The authorization of additional appropriation within the Issue II budget from unappropriated funds to Other Expense, in the amount of $59,118.
• The authorization of additional appropriation within the Engineers budget from un-appropriated funds to Contracts and Services, in the amount of $344.76.
• A modification within the Community Probation budget from Electronic Monitoring to Equipment, in the amount of $4,000.
• The authorization of additional appropriation within the Highland County Developmental Disabilities budget from un-appropriated funds to Storage Building Other Expense, in the amount of $22,094.40.
• The authorization of a transfer from Indigent Guardianship Fund from Transfers Out to Probate Salary-Employees, in the amount of $10,000.
• A modification within the Juvenile budget from Probate Salary-Employees to Juvenile Salary-Employees, in the amount of $10,000.[[In-content Ad]]