Speed limits reduced for 3 area roads
Lead Summary
By
Rory Ryan-hcpress@cinci.rr.com
Highland County Engineer Dean Otworth submitted a resolution for three speed limit reductions on area roadways during the Feb. 8 meeting of the Highland County Board of Commissioners.
Working in conjunction with the Ohio Department of Transportation, the engineer’s office has made recommendations to reduce the 55 mph speed limits on Fisherman’s Wharf and Smart roads to 40 mph. The office also recommended reducing the speed limit on Wright Road to 35 mph.
The office conducted a speed zone study prior to making its recommendations.
The new speed limit signs are in place on Fisherman’s Wharf Road and should be posted in the next few weeks on Wright and Smart roads.
* * *
Coroner addresses budget
• Highland County Coroner Dr. Paul Terrell and deputy coroner Dr. Jeffrey Beery, met with Commissioners Shane Wilkin, Tom Horst and Jeremy Shaffer Wednesday, regarding this year’s budget for the coroner’s office.
Terrell objected to a $16,400 reduction and some inadvertent line-item changes to his submitted budget.
Terrell told commissioners, “I’m here to ask for some help. I probably have the smallest mandated budget in the county and I don’t have any fat to cut.”
Terrell, who runs the coroner’s office from his private medical practice south of Hillsboro, informed the commissioners, “I can’t absorb the expenses of running the coroner’s office from my private practice office.”
He also voiced concern over a lack of storage space for coroner’s records and said when he asked a previous board of commissioners for space in the Highland County Justice Center, he “did not get the courtesy of a response.”
In addition, Terrell’s wife, Carole, has been volunteering her time in the coroner’s office.
This will be Terrell’s final year as county coroner.
“I continue to provide my own vehicle, emergency light, siren, radio and so forth,” Terrell said. “To ask the next guy (Dr. Beery) to do that is a little much. I want you to reinstate the $16,400 in our budget. This past year there were times I could have, and probably should have, ordered an autopsy…(but didn’t).”
Wilkin responded that, “Number one, we’re not asking (you to do that). If an autopsy is necessary ... that’s your call. We will find the revenue.”
Shaffer asked if the county had at any time provided space for the coroner's office.
“No, we never have,” Horst said.
Wilkin then asked Terrell if he would like to have space for storage.
“You’re asking the wrong guy,” Terrell said, and pointed to Beery.
“I’ll do whatever you want, but there’s always a price to pay,” Beery said. “If we had some money in the budget to cover the expenses, that would help.”
Beery also said it would be simpler to have the coroner’s office operate from his private medical practice.
Wilkin said the county would look into providing secure storage space for the coroner’s records.
Horst advised the coroner, “If you have autopsies and you run out of money, send us a bill and we’ll pay it.”
Terrell continued to criticize what he called the “manipulation in his budget by the commissioners office, regarding changes to certain line items.
“That was a mistake in our office,” Wilkin said.
Moving forward, Wilkin advised Beery to call him so they could work out a solution to the storage issue.
“Let’s sit down and talk about it,” Wilkin said.
* * *
Revolving loan board formed
• In other business, commissioners established a new Revolving Loan Fund Board. Board members are: Ryan Greer, Bart Evans, Nicole Roades, Katy Farber, Kevin Zimmerman, Ellie Zint and Shane Wilkin.[[In-content Ad]]
Working in conjunction with the Ohio Department of Transportation, the engineer’s office has made recommendations to reduce the 55 mph speed limits on Fisherman’s Wharf and Smart roads to 40 mph. The office also recommended reducing the speed limit on Wright Road to 35 mph.
The office conducted a speed zone study prior to making its recommendations.
The new speed limit signs are in place on Fisherman’s Wharf Road and should be posted in the next few weeks on Wright and Smart roads.
* * *
Coroner addresses budget
• Highland County Coroner Dr. Paul Terrell and deputy coroner Dr. Jeffrey Beery, met with Commissioners Shane Wilkin, Tom Horst and Jeremy Shaffer Wednesday, regarding this year’s budget for the coroner’s office.
Terrell objected to a $16,400 reduction and some inadvertent line-item changes to his submitted budget.
Terrell told commissioners, “I’m here to ask for some help. I probably have the smallest mandated budget in the county and I don’t have any fat to cut.”
Terrell, who runs the coroner’s office from his private medical practice south of Hillsboro, informed the commissioners, “I can’t absorb the expenses of running the coroner’s office from my private practice office.”
He also voiced concern over a lack of storage space for coroner’s records and said when he asked a previous board of commissioners for space in the Highland County Justice Center, he “did not get the courtesy of a response.”
In addition, Terrell’s wife, Carole, has been volunteering her time in the coroner’s office.
This will be Terrell’s final year as county coroner.
“I continue to provide my own vehicle, emergency light, siren, radio and so forth,” Terrell said. “To ask the next guy (Dr. Beery) to do that is a little much. I want you to reinstate the $16,400 in our budget. This past year there were times I could have, and probably should have, ordered an autopsy…(but didn’t).”
Wilkin responded that, “Number one, we’re not asking (you to do that). If an autopsy is necessary ... that’s your call. We will find the revenue.”
Shaffer asked if the county had at any time provided space for the coroner's office.
“No, we never have,” Horst said.
Wilkin then asked Terrell if he would like to have space for storage.
“You’re asking the wrong guy,” Terrell said, and pointed to Beery.
“I’ll do whatever you want, but there’s always a price to pay,” Beery said. “If we had some money in the budget to cover the expenses, that would help.”
Beery also said it would be simpler to have the coroner’s office operate from his private medical practice.
Wilkin said the county would look into providing secure storage space for the coroner’s records.
Horst advised the coroner, “If you have autopsies and you run out of money, send us a bill and we’ll pay it.”
Terrell continued to criticize what he called the “manipulation in his budget by the commissioners office, regarding changes to certain line items.
“That was a mistake in our office,” Wilkin said.
Moving forward, Wilkin advised Beery to call him so they could work out a solution to the storage issue.
“Let’s sit down and talk about it,” Wilkin said.
* * *
Revolving loan board formed
• In other business, commissioners established a new Revolving Loan Fund Board. Board members are: Ryan Greer, Bart Evans, Nicole Roades, Katy Farber, Kevin Zimmerman, Ellie Zint and Shane Wilkin.[[In-content Ad]]