Commissioners Meeting for October 22 will be at the Geauga County Airport
Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) - October 1, 2024
Meeting Details: The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) met at 9:30 am on Tuesday, October 1, 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 Timothy Lennon, Ralph Spidalieri and James Dvorak. Also present were County Administrator Gerry Morgan, Assistant County Administrator Linda Burhenne, Finance Manager Adrian Gorton, and Commissioners' Clerk Christine Blair.
County Representatives: Reba Dykes, Office on Aging; Chuck Tkach, Program Manager, Maintenance; Matt Sieracki, Contract Administrator, Maintenance; Carmella Shale, PE, Director, Geauga Soil and Water Conservation District, and James Flaiz, Prosecutor.
Others in Attendance: Ron Leyde, Chief Deputy Auditor; Pam McMahan, Chief Operations Officer, Auditor’s Office; Adam Litke, Director, Geauga Public Health and Carolyn Brakey, Geauga Public Health Board member and County Commissioner candidate, plus members of the press, the public and this observer.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited and a prayer was offered by Mr. Dvorak.
Minutes: Minutes were approved for July 30, August 6, August 13, August 20 and August 29, 2024. Observer Comment: Weekly LWVG Observer Reports for BOCC are available online through October 1, 2024, for informational purposes but are not substitutes for approved minutes. Approved BOCC Minutes are posted online here through August 29, 2024.
Administrator’s Report: Mr. Morgan reported on the following actions he took in accordance with Ohio law:
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Approved hiring a full time Operator in Water Resources
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Approved not hiring a senior Maintenance worker who had started employment but did not complete the probation period.
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Approved not requesting a hearing for a liquor license in Bainbridge for Beer Run and Some in Chagrin Falls.
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Approved a cash transfer in JFS (Job and Family Services) from the Workforce Investment Fund to Public Assistance for costs that were owed.
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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Appropriation transfer from the Commissioner’s Contingency to the Coroner’s Office
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Encumbrances - travel from the Auditor, Common Pleas, Community and Economic Development, County Engineers and the Public Defender’s office
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Then and Now for Juvenile Court to CourtView Justice Solutions for court management
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Vouchers:
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$69,590 from Aging to Junction Buick for 2 new 2024 GMC Terrains for medical transport
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$128,312 from Maintenance to Barbicus Construction Co. Inc., for line striping for various county parking lots
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$101,829.30 from the Sheriff’s Office to Motorola Solutions for 911 support
The Soil and Water Conservation District received approval to execute the Ohio Department of Agriculture – Office of Farmland Preservation Local Sponsor Certification Application for the Local Agricultural Easement Purchase Program 2025, as outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding from October 13, 2016. Mr. Lennon asked if there were any applicants last year, and Ms. Shale said that it seems to go every other year. She said someone has already inquired for next year.
The Department on Aging received approval to execute the Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging Modification of SFY 2023-2024 Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) Medicare Savings Programs, Low-income Subsidy and Prescription Drug Assistance through the Aging Network, State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) and Aging and Disability Resource Centers Grant Agreement to decrease the award in the amount of $1,132.98 for a revised total award amount of $4,639.39.
The Maintenance Department received approval for the following:
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To execute the service Contract Agreement with Life Safety Systems, LLC, to install a notification system in the lobby of the Geauga County Office Building to be effective October 1, 2024 with work to be completed within sixty days in an amount not to exceed $10,000.00. Mr Dvorak asked who had initiated this system, and Mr. Morgan said it was the Safety Committee. Observer Note: The Safety Committee was formed to represent all departments with offices in the new County office Building.
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To execute the Contract Agreement with McPhillips Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning Company to replace three (3) CW/HW wall units at the Geauga County Courthouse Annex to be effective October 1, 2024 with work to be completed within 150 days in an amount not to exceed $30,000.00.
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To acknowledge that fewer than three qualified firms submitted Statements of Qualifications for Professional Design and Contract Administration services for the Replace Barn Roof – Aquilla Road project and are available for ranking for this project, and to further approve the following design firm rankings, in accordance with O.R.C. 153.69(A), in the order of most qualified, Technical Assurance, Inc., and second most qualified, CT Consultants, Inc., and to begin Contract negotiations with Technical Assurance, Inc., as the most qualified firm to provide professional design and contract administration services for the Replace Barn Roof – Aquilla Road project, in accordance with O.R.C. 153.69 (B).
The Commissioners’ Office received approval for the following:
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To execute Change Order #4, increasing the Contract with Infinity Construction Company, Inc., for the Courthouse Expansion Project, GMP Phase #1 and Phase #2 for the addition of a cellular amplifier system in the amount of $36,448.00. Mr. Lennon asked if this would help the offices on the Square as well as the courthouse, and Mr. Morgan said it would help both. Mr. Dvorak asked how much it had cost to add to improve the cell service in the new county office building. Mr. Morgan said he would have to get that information.
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To execute Resolution #24-173 Establishing the Location and Time of the October 22, 2024 Regular Meeting of the Board of County Commissioners to be held at 9:30 a.m. at the Geauga County Airport, Middlefield, Ohio. This meeting will include a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony of the newly renovated Hangar One.
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To execute Resolution #24-174 of Support for the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Community Capital Project and Hereby Designates and Authorizes James W. Dvorak, Commissioner, and Gerard Morgan, County Administrator, to execute the necessary documents related to the Application / Contract for State Assistance in Construction, Purchase or Renovation of the Geauga Youth Center.
Executive Session: At 9:52 AM the Board adjourned to Executive Session for the purpose of considering imminent legal action. The Commissioners were joined by Prosecutor Flaiz, County Administrator Morgan and Assistant County Administrator Burhenne.
Return from Executive Session: The Commissioners returned at 10:38 and reported that no action would be taken.
Public Comment: Geauga Public Health Administrator Adam Litke praised the staff of the Soil and Water Conservation District for a presentation they gave to the public on maintaining septic tanks.
Meeting adjourned at 10:42 am.
More Information and Posted Minutes: Available here.
Next Regular Meeting of the BOCC: The next BOCC meeting will be on Tuesday, October 8, 2024 at 9:30 am.
Observer: Gail Roussey
Editor: Anne Ondrey
Reviewer: Carol Benton
Date Submitted: 10/07/2024
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