Commissioners Express Displeasure about Automatic Data Processing’s
Potential Change in Use of Office Space in County Administration Building
Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) - September 10, 2024
Meeting Details: The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) met at 9:30 am on Tuesday, September 10, 2024 at the County Administration Building, 12611 Ravenwood Drive, Room B303, Chardon, OH. The meetings are in-person only, and there are no recordings for the public. An agenda is available in advance via request to the Commissioners’ Clerk and at the meeting. Items discussed at the meeting but not on the agenda are addressed at the end of this report.
Public Comment Policy: Observer Comment: Commissioner Ralph Spidalieri announced at the end of the April 4, 2023 meeting that public comment would be permitted and that a more formal policy would be forthcoming. There was no formal policy introduced today, but public comment was permitted.
Attendance: Present were Commissioners Ralph Spidalieri, James Dvorak, and Timothy Lennon. Also present were County Administrator Gerry Morgan, Assistant County Administrator Linda Burhenne, Finance Manager Adrian Gorton, and Commissioners' Clerk Christine Blair.
County Representatives: Richard Blamer, Airport Manager; Shane Hajjar, Deputy Engineer; Matt Sieracki, Contract Coordinator, Maintenance; Kelly Bidlack, BOCC Human Resources Specialist, and representatives from Job and Family Services (not identified) and Maintenance Department (not identified).
Others in Attendance: Christine Lakomiak, Director, GCMHRS (Geauga County Mental Health and Recovery Services); Carolyn Brakey, Geauga Public Health Board member and County Commissioner candidate; and Ron Leyde, Chief Deputy Auditor. Also present were several members of the public, the press and this observer.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited and a prayer was offered by Mr. Dvorak.
Minutes: Minutes from July 12, 2024 were approved. Observer Comment: Weekly LWVG Observer Reports for BOCC are available online through September 10, 2024, for informational purposes but are not substitutes for approved minutes. Approved BOCC Minutes are posted online here through May 21, 2024.
Administrator’s Report: Mr. Morgan reported on the following actions he took in accordance with Ohio law:
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Accepted the resignation of recreational and educational assistant in the Office on Aging and agreed to increase the job posting which is currently for two individuals in the recreational and educational assistant position to three.
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Approved hiring of a Full Time Inspector in the Building Department.
Financial Report: Mr. Gorton received approval for the following: Observer Note: Monetary figures are stated when they were given in Mr. Goton’s report. In most cases, except for Vouchers, they are not stated.
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Supplemental from the Auditor’s Office in the County Real Estate tax fund for additional collection expenses
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Transfer from the County’s Miscellaneous Fund to Job and Family Services (JFS) for the second half of the commitment due to the levy reduction. Observer Note: When the County decided to save taxpayers money after the property tax increases due to the revaluation, they took this money from the JFS levy with a promise to JFS to make them whole. See LWVGeauga report for October 31, 2023 for more information.
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Cash from General Fund to Court Technology for portions of their 2024 funding
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Then and Now from the Commissioners to Geauga County Clerk of Courts for court costs associated with the City of Chardon lawsuit not previously paid.
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Encumbrances: Travel for Auditor, Juvenile and Probate Court
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Vouchers:
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$179,812.44 from the Auditor from the ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) Fund to Agri-Sludge Inc. for the Aquilla Wastewater Improvement Project.
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$151,400 from the Engineer’s Office to Kalida Trucking for a dump truck
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Revenue Certification in MHRS (Mental Health and Recovery Services) for additional revenue to be received in 2024.
The Airport Authority received approval for the following:
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To execute the Request for Partial Payment #3 and Final for Kenny Hoar Construction Company, Incorporated d.b.a. Kenny Hoar Construction Company for the Geauga County Airport Hangar #1 Improvements Project in the amount of $81,684.71.
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To acknowledge receipt of the Certificate of Substantial Completion for the Geauga County Airport Hangar #1 Improvement Project, executed by the Architect, Contractor and Airport Authority.
There was a discussion of the Grant process for the Airport. They have received a $3.5 Million Grant and are in the process of applying for another grant.
Mr. Dvorak noted that in accordance with changes in the law, all contractors and their employees must be drug tested. He wanted to know who would be in charge of this effort. Mr. Morgan said that the Project Manager would have to make sure the testing was done.
The County Engineer’s Office received approval to execute Change Order #1 and Final, increasing the Contract with Ronyak Paving, Inc., for the Asphalt Resurfacing of Wilson Mills Road, (CH-0008, Sections D-F) in Chester Township in the amount of $35,800.25. Mr. Hajjar addressed concerns from the Commissioners about the cost increase. He said that this was a “Mill and Fill” job and that after they had completed the milling they discovered there had been a lot of damage that had to be fixed. He said it would have been even more, but that they had found other ways to reduce costs.
The Department of Job and Family Services received approval for the following:
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To execute the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services IV-D Contract between the Geauga County Child Support Enforcement Agency and the Geauga County Prosecutor’s Office for legal services for the period July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025 in the amount of $72.51 per hour.
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To execute the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services IV-D Contract between the Geauga County Child Support Enforcement Agency and the Geauga County Common Pleas Court for Magistrate Services for the period July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025 in the amount of $92.13 per hour.
The Maintenance Department received approval for the following:
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To execute a service Contract Agreement with Petersen Earthworx, LTD, to perform brush clearing and excavation at various County locations per the Director for a two-year period, effective September 10, 2024 in an amount not to exceed $60,000.00.
Commissioner Dvorak mentioned that the Maintenance Department, as well as other County departments and Townships, can utilize the rental program that is run through the Engineer’s Office. The Engineer’s Office can loan heavy equipment for usage by County departments or Townships, which can save on contract prices and purchases of equipment.
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To execute the Contract Agreement with Love Power Washing, LLC, to power wash the stone and concrete at the Geauga County Safety Center to be completed within 60 days of execution, effective September 10, 2024 in an amount not to exceed $30,000.00.
Mr. Dvorak noted that the rock walls at the Safety Center need special attention. It was stated that they would not be sealing but would be using a special solution. The Maintenance Department had consulted with IMI (International Masonry Institute) to determine the best approach.
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To approve and execute the Contract Agreement with CT Consultants, Inc., to provide professional design and contract administration services to reconfigure the Visitation Center space at the Safety Center Complex into a stand-alone video visitation room and remainder of altered space converted into open office area in the amount of $41,000.00, with a not to exceed amount of $45,000.00. Mr. Lennon asked if the Sheriff’s Department had been consulted, and it was stated by the Maintenance representative that they had been consulted. The visitation room will be smaller, but there will be room for a health care worker who has had to work in less than ideal conditions.
Mr. Morgan said that there will be a public meeting to present these plans and offer the opportunity for question and comment.
The Commissioners’ Office received approval for the following:
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To acknowledge the recommendation of the County Treasurer and approve and execute Resolution #24-164 Designating Geauga County’s Public Depositories of Active Money’s for the Next Succeeding Four-Year Period, pursuant to O.R.C. 135.33.
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To approve and execute the CEBCO (County Employee Benefits Consortium of Ohio) Geauga County Healthcare Rate Renewal Acceptance for 2025. Mr. Lennon led a discussion about the rate change and asked for the percentages. Ms. Bidlack said there was an 8.6% increase, which was less than the prior year’s increase of 8.9%. Ms. Bidlack also said that other CEBCO members had rate increases of 0% - 18%. Mr. Lennon asked if employees are still being asked to contribute to the increases. Mr. Morgan said it was a 90/10 split that was implemented in 2015. Mr. Lennon asked for more information and said that in the past employees felt no effect from increases but that he wanted them to participate when prices went up. Mr. Dvorak asked what the national rate was for increases, and Ms. Bidlack said it was 7-9%.
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To accept and approve the 2025 Geauga County CEBCO /Anthem Medical 1C and 4D Plans (Healthcare), Anthem RX Prescription and Delta Dental Renewal Plans and Rates, to be effective January 1, 2025. Ms. Bidlack said that the cost of the Dental Plan had not increased.
Not on the Agenda: Discussion about ADP (Automatic Data Processing)
Observer Note: There were no staff members from ADP present; however, all Commissioners are technically members of the ADP Board.
There were several different threads to this discussion that included the following:
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Mr. Spidalieri started talking about legal fees and outside counsel and not wanting to get into a “spend fest” of legal fees. He said they were trying to “work with everybody we can.” He said there was a rumor about an allegation of an illegal meeting (a violation of the Open Public Meetings Act). This apparently concerned a time when Mr. Spidalieri and Mr. Dvorak took a tour of the new county office building to discuss the needs of ADP. They both said it was just a walk through with no discussions or decisions. Mr. Dvorak said yes, it was just listening. Mr. Lennon asked if it was the Prosecutor and Auditor who had said that about the illegal meeting, and Mr. Spidalieri said that he heard it was ADP Chief Deputy Administrator Frank Antenucci who made the allegations. Mr. Lennon said, “I'm getting tired of that. If you’ve got something to say, say it to my face.” Mr. Spidalieri agreed.
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Mr. Lennon and Mr. Spidalieri led a discussion about ADP and an apparent controversy concerning use of space in the new county office building. This appears to be about space that is currently designated as Geauga Public Health space that ADP would like to reconfigure for their needs. Observer Note: See more information in LWVGeauga Observer Report for April 30, 2024. Both Mr. Lennon and Mr. Spidalieri said that” The Health Department has been great.” Echoing Mr. Lennon’s earlier sentiment, Mr. Spidalieri said, “If you've got something to say, say it to my face.”
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A third subject was about ADP staffing. Mr. Spidalieri said “I’ve never seen the level of need (with ADP). . . and the amount of dollars that we have put into it.” He said he wanted to compare where they were 12 years ago and now. Then he asked, “How many people are still having major issues with their technology?” He wondered, “Really, are we doing better?” He continued, “We have spent enormous amounts of money to get to where we are and I’m at the point somehow we have to hit the brakes. When I heard there’s some other plans for additional offices, that is not what we planned.”
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Returning to the space issue, Mr. Lennon said, “Just to be clear, the agreement was to give them some space in the Health Department. They might need some more doors.”
Mr. Lennon said he wasn't there that day of the walk-through, but his understanding was that what had been needed was a room to lay out the phone system. He said, “The conference room was asked to be used to do that. . . . That turned into a year-long project . . .that turned into an office for Frank and whoever else. .. Now you can’t get them out of there. That room was specifically designed to be used as a conference room.” He said the Health Department has been tremendous about trying to accommodate these extra employees (from ADP). Mr. Lennon concluded, “It was not open ended, just customize however you want until you're happy.”
Mr. Spidalieri said, “We talked to Adam (Adam Litke, Geauga Public Health Administrator), they didn’t have a big need for that area.” He couldn’t recall the exact conversation with Mr. Litke about specifics, but just the use of the conference room was discussed. He said it was built as a conference room. He said, “It was built to have multiple things happening.“
Mr Lennon agreed that the conference room was meant to expand and contract. He said that was “the way we sold it to the public. Didn’t know we were going to go from 4-5 employees to I don’t know how many employees?. . . There were only going to be a few (ADP employees) in this area. . . That changed without any discussion with us. Now, we’ll try to do our best to accommodate that, but we can’t just have people taking over certain offices or certain rooms without any discussion.”
Mr. Spidalieri asked, “ Where do we stand with the Health Department?”
Ms. Burhenne said that they sent the proposed lease contract to outside counsel.
Mr. Lennon asked, “We’re getting outside counsel for what?”
Mr. Morgan said the Prosecutor backed off because of a potential legal conflict.
Mr. Lennon concluded that this lease agreement with the Health Department wasn’t about making a profit but rather costs being reimbursed.
Public Comment: None
Meeting adjourned at 10:17 am.
More Information and Posted Minutes: Available here.
Next Regular Meeting of the BOCC: The meetings following this meeting will be Tuesday, September 17, and Thursday, September 26, 2024 at 9:30 am. The latter is a change due to the Perry Nuclear Power Plant drill scheduled for Tuesday September 24.
Observer: Gail Roussey
Editor: Anne Ondrey
Reviewer: Sarah McGlone
Date Submitted: 9/15/2024
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