Commissioners approve $4.5M in bonds for new truck barn

Highland County commissioners Brad Roades, Terry Britton and David Daniels voted to execute closing documents for $4.574 million in Ohio Building Improvement Limited Tax General Obligation Bonds for a new truck barn at the engineer’s office during their Wednesday, July 23 meeting.

Approved were Dinsmore closing documents for the $4,574,000 in Series 2025 Ohio Building Improvement Limited Tax General Obligation Bonds; the signature and no-litigation certificate; and the general closing certificate.

Commissioners had previously voted to authorize the issuance of not to exceed $4,600,000 building improvement bonds June 25. According to commission clerk Ashleigh Willey, commissioners also took action related to the truck barn Wednesday, June 11 in a work session with county engineer Chris Fauber. The commission voted 3-0 to authorize Robert W. Baird & Co. to proceed with the pre-payable direct placement, 15-year term financing in the amount of $4.5 million.

“We put this out for bids,” Daniels said. “We got bids back in, and it was determined, by taking a look at those and reviewing the options that are available through that bid process, that this is probably the route that best suits the engineer, his ability to repay and the county as a whole. 

“I move we execute the documents and take on $4.574 million worth of indebtedness on this project.”

As previously reported, commissioners voted 3-0 Feb. 26 to enter into a purchase agreement for the former Pike Gas property at 144 Bowers Avenue in Hillsboro at a cost of $390,000. The property includes two parcels, for a total of 0.3742 acre.

State Senator Shane Wilkin (R-Hillsboro) announced the investment of $1 million from the One-Time Strategic Community Investment Fund (OTSCIF) to support the project, which will accommodate over 20 trucks, in June 2024.

Commissioners voted in November to direct $2 million of their American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars to the project. The amount committed exceeded the initial request made when commissioners reviewed potential ARPA projects in 2022. At that time, Fauber submitted a $1.4 million proposal to build a new 115’x160’ truck/equipment storage facility, replacing an approximately 50-year-old structure.   

In December, commissioners also committed another $500,000 in ARPA funding toward engineer services and contract administration by the WDC Group for the project.

In other discussion, Highland County Auditor Alex Butler announced a slight dip in the county’s permissive sales tax receipts for July 2025, with the $870,822.82 total being 1.01-percent less than the $879,745.16 reported in July 2024. 

Year to date, the county has topped $5.7 million, with the $5,728,086.70 collected through seven months being 1.26-percent higher than the same period in 2024.

“We're maintaining, and I think on track to collect nearly the same as we did last year as a whole, so stable revenue,” Butler said.

Despite showing a decrease from last July, the monthly total is the second-highest thus far in 2025, coming behind only March’s monthly record-high $960,161.96. 

Daniels also pointed out that compared to 2017’s totals on Butler’s spreadsheet — where the county took in less than $6.9 million in 12 months, compared to $5.7 million in seven months this year — the difference is “pretty amazing.” 

Commissioners also made the following approvals, each by a 3-0 vote:

• The purchase of a new exhaust fan at the Justice Center through Weller’s Plumbing & Heating at a cost of $2,540.    

Cierra Moore of the county’s maintenance department said the fan has been “out of service for two weeks” and that they had been awaiting a quote. 

“These things that break, that are operational, that are necessary — we don't need to wait two, three weeks to bring those to our attention,” Daniels said. “They can just be done. I mean, if it's a $2,000 item or a $3,000 item that breaks, rather than wait a couple weeks and bring it to us for approval — we need them. We're going to replace them anyway.

“The quicker we get those things back in operation, the better off we are.”

• The application of Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) member appointments for multiple members through the State Emergency Response Commission [SERC].

“SERC requires us to have an LEPC committee that oversees the HAZMAT side of my job and all the Tier II reports we get,” Highland County Emergency Management Agency Director David Bushelman said. “We have 37 Tier II reports that come in from the different businesses in the county that have reportable chemicals. 
    
“This is for the next term for the LAPC Committee, which I think there's currently 13 members.”

• A lease agreement between commissioners and the Hillsboro Business Complex LLC for the economic development office.

“It's going up just a little bit,” Roades said. “It’s $6,600 for a year. Everything else is pretty much staying the same.”

Daniels added that the office “has been a good location” for the economic development, land bank and Chamber of Commerce.

• A South Central Power/ConnectSCP letter for internet at the Highland County Airport.

• A budget modification within the (2640) RPIG PY23 in the amount of $9.46. According to ARPA funding coordinator Nicole Oberrecht, this is to close out a previous grant to “not have to send anything back to the state.”

• The creation of a new line item within the 2780 Emergency Management Agency Fund: Contract & Services.

• The creation of a new line item within the 2175 Probate Court Computer Fund: Contract & Services.

• The creation of a new line item within the 2180 Juvenile Court Computer Fund: Contract & Services.

• A resolution from the Sheriff’s Office declaring items a no longer needed by the County and obsolete, ORC 307.12(I); therefore, the board declares the listed items to be surplus property and no longer needed by the county.

• A request from Probation for a budget modification within the (2620) PSG FY24-25 fund in the amount of $14,728.84.

• A request from JFS for a transfer from Public Assistance Fund (2050) to Children Services Fund (2115) in the amount of $44,324.64.

• A request from JFS for a budget modification within the (2190) Family & Children First ADM GT fund in the amount of $12,000.

• A resolution to rename Fund 4110 to Engineer Building Improvement Capital Improvement.

• A resolution to rename Fund 3100 to Engineer Building Improvement Debt Retirement.

Publisher's note: A free press is critical to having well-informed voters and citizens. While some news organizations opt for paid websites or costly paywalls, The Highland County Press has maintained a free newspaper and website for the last 26 years for our community. If you would like to contribute to this service, it would be greatly appreciated. Donations may be made to: The Highland County Press, P.O. Box 849, Hillsboro, Ohio 45133. Please include "for website" on the memo line.