Office On Aging Highlights Low Cost Legal Services Available to Senior Residents
Board of County Commissioners Meeting - November 4, 2025
Meeting Details: The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) met in Regular Session on Tuesday, November 4, 2025 at 9:30 am for a meeting at the Geauga County Office Building, 12611 Ravenwood Drive, Room B303, Chardon, OH. Meetings can be live streamed through the Geauga ADP Youtube channel. Recordings are available for the public. The November 4, 2025 meeting recording can be found here. As of this report’s publication date, this video has been viewed 152 times. Notations in the report refer to the minute notation on the video for a particular section. 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, if any, are addressed at the end of this report.
Public Comment Policy: Permitted as outlined in the BOCC’s Public Comment Policy that was adopted on January 28, 2025, revised on April 15, 2025, and again modified on September 30, 2025. Observer Note: The above link to the Policy does not have the April or September revisions. The April revision was simply to change the time allowed for public comment from two minutes to three minutes. The revision approved in September allows public comment on agenda items at the beginning of the meeting, with general public comment still at the end of the meeting.
Attendance: Present were Commissioners Carolyn Brakey, James Dvorak and Ralph Spidalieri. Also present were Commissioners’ Clerk Christine Blair, County Administrator Amy Bevan and Finance Manager Adrian Gorton.
County Representatives: Jessica Boalt, Director, Geauga Department on Aging; Liz Ruvino, Contract Coordinator, Maintenance; Shane Hajjar, Deputy Engineer, Engineer’s Office; Charles Tkatch, Program Manager, Maintenance; Nick Gorris, Director of Water Resources; R. Robert Umholtz, Public Defender; Paul Mooney, Public Defender’s Office; Craig Swenson, JFS (Job and Family Services) Director.
Others in Attendance: Bret Bestgen, Project Manager, Infinity Construction Co.; County residents Diane and Tom Jones; Anastasia Nicholas, Chagrin Valley Times reporter; members of the public, and this Observer.
5:35 Min. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited and a prayer was offered by Mr. Dvorak.
Public Comment - According to the Amended Public Comment Policy, individuals can question an item appearing on the meeting’s agenda. In order to comment, individuals are asked to sign in and wait to be called upon, begin by stating their full name and address, will have up to three minutes to comment or ask a question, and are kindly asked to refrain from disorderly or disruptive conduct.
No Comments.
6:22 Min. Administrator’s Report - Ms. Bevan reported on the following actions she took:
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Appropriations Transfer to the Treasurer's general operational account for an adjustment to the Treasurer’s Chief Deputy's salary in 2024 which was approved by the Commissioners on June 18, 2024 after the 2025 tax budget had already been approved.
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Appropriations Transfer to the Commissioners’ miscellaneous account for COBRA hospitalization payments to complete the processing of October's insurance.
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For the Department on Aging, acceptance of the retirement resignation of the Senior Center Manager to be effective December 31st, 2025 and also permission to advertise for the position of Senior Center Manager internally for a period of 5 days with applications accepted from November 17, 2025 through 4:30 pm November 21st, 2025. If there are no qualified candidates, the position will be advertised externally until filled.
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For Maintenance, rescinded the motion from October 6th, 2025 that read, "Approve hiring maintenance worker number 1904 to be effective October 27th, 2025.”
Minutes - Minutes from the meeting on August 28, 2025 were approved. Observer Note: Weekly LWVG Observer Reports for the BOCC are available online through November 4, 2025 for informational purposes but are not substitutes for approved minutes. Approved BOCC Minutes are posted online here through August 28, 2025.
835 Min. Financial Report: The following financials were approved:
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Appropriations Transfer to the Treasurer's general fund payroll accounts for an adjustment to the Chief Deputy’s salary in 2024 that was approved by the Commissioners on June 18th, 2024 after the 2025 tax budget had already been finalized as well as a true up to a couple of their hospitalization accounts for year end.
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Appropriations transfer from the Commissioners’ miscellaneous transfer out account to the maintenance safety center building maintenance account to cover additional HVAC (Heating Ventilation, Air Conditioning) repairs at the safety center.
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Cash transfer from the General Fund to Family First Council for the October through December 2025 commitment
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Transfer from the General Fund to the Liability self-insurance fund to cover CORSA (County Risk
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Sharing Authority) insurance deductibles.
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Travel for the Auditor, Clerk of Courts and the County Engineer
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Then and Now from the Commissioners’ Office to the State of Ohio for expenses associated with the Bureau for Children with Medical Handicaps Complex Medical Help Program from 2023 that were not previously encumbered.
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Vouchers
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$63,721.99 from the Commissioners’ Office to Ohio State University for the county's fourth quarter 2025 program support payment.
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$1,223,586.44 from the County Engineer to Ronyak Paving Incorporated for pay request number three of the Butternut Road Reconstruction Project
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$105,396.99 from the Sheriff to Motorola Solutions Incorporated for the Spillman Flex 911 service and support payment, which last year was $101,829.30.
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Revenue decertification from Mental Health to remove Federal revenue that will be directly funded to agencies and also from an additional state grant.
Mrs. Brakey asked about Family First and the decertification items. Mr. Gorton said the decertification is because they are not getting this money from the Federal government. As to Family First, Mr. Gorton said that they had stopped payments to Family First for six months because they didn’t need the money, but have since started paying again.
12:30 Min. The County Engineer’s Office received approval for the following:
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To acknowledge the recommendation and post load limits on Auburn Road for Structure #GEA-C0004-0153 in Auburn Township for a weight limit of a single unit as follows: 2 AXLE – 15T, 3 AXLE – 23T, 4 AXLE – 27T, 5 AXLE – 31T, 6+ AXLE – 34T and Tractor Trailer – 40T, pursuant to O.R.C. 5577.071.
Mr. Hajjar said that these were normal load limits.
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To execute Change Order #1 and Final, decreasing the Contract with Ronyak Paving, Incorporated for the Asphalt Resurfacing of Wilson Mills Road (CH-0008, Sections G-L) in Munson Township in the amount of $39,590.10.
14:43 Min. The Department on Aging received approval for the following:
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To advertise for Bids for the Legal Services for Older Adults Program to be held on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at 2:15 pm. Notice of this Bid Opening will be advertised on November 13, 2025, November 20, 2025, and on the county website.
Ms. Boalt explained that the current contract is with Schraff Thomas Law and covers such items as elder care services, guardianship, wills, estate planning, Medicaid, and other services for seniors. The Office on Aging received federal funding that allows residents to receive these services. Their attorneys set a reduced rate of $160/hour. Low income clients pay a $25 fee and other seniors (not low income) would pay $75/hour.
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To authorize Amy Bevan, County Administrator, to execute the Agreement between Geauga County Board of Commissioners and TC Property Inspections (Todd Hoffmeyer d.b.a. TC Property Inspections) for Commercial Property Inspection Services to Geauga County to perform a commercial property Inspection at 12701 Ravenwood Drive, Chardon in an amount not to exceed $2,200.00.
18:09 Min. The Maintenance Department received approval for the following:
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To execute Change Order #1, increasing the Contract with Air Force One, Incorporated, executed December 12, 2023, effective January 1, 2024 for the Geauga County Safety Center HVAC Maintenance and On-call Services, including Post 2 and all Tower Sites to increase the on-call services in the amount of $50,000.00, to a not to exceed total amount of $150,000.00 for a new total contract amount of $258,340.00. There will be no change to the preventative maintenance part of the contract. Ms. Ruvino confirmed that they are adding additional work.
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To advertise for Bids for the West Geauga Senior Center Condenser Upgrade Project to be held on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at 2:00 pm. Notice of this Bid Opening will be advertised on November 7, 2025, November 14, 2025, and on the county website.
Mrs. Brakey asked why the cost was so high. Mr. Tkach said that they had decided to replace two condensers because, although one was only five years old, in 2025 there was a change in the type of refrigerant that could be used. Although this unit could continue to be used until it ceased functioning, it was recommended to change it so that both units would be the same type of chiller unit. There was also discussion about whether the 5-year old unit could be sold for parts. Mr. Tkach said they could add that to the bid specifications, but they would need to do some research to see if they would be able to store it.
This was approved with Mrs. Brakey voting no.
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To execute Change Order #2, increasing the Contract with North Bay Construction, Incorporated to replace existing gas regulators and install new on all generators for the Department of Emergency Services (aka EMS) Generator Upgrade Project in the amount of $2,984.66 for a new not to exceed amount of $259,989.04.
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To execute Change Order #1, with GovTrust Partners, LLC, authorizing the use of Owner’s Contingency Funds for additional construction services related to the redesign of the block wall footer for the Geauga County Safety Center Visitation Room Alteration Project in the amount of $2,770.00, leaving $5,230.00 remaining in Contingency.
Mr. Tkach explained that there were conduits in the wall that they didn’t know about, and that they had to hand dig around them and increase the footer by an additional 6” to accommodate the conduits.
29 Min. The Department of Water Resources received approval for the following:
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To execute the Agreement regarding the Extension of the Public Sanitary Sewer Infrastructure to serve Parcel Number 13-015514, the site of the future Youth Home, between the Geauga County Board of County Commissioners and the Department of Water Resources in the total amount of $310,000.00. Mr. Gorris said that the plans are done, they have EPA approval, and they are ready to go when it is time.
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To authorize Ralph Spidalieri, authorized representative, to execute the Ohio Water Development Authority Fund Payment Request #6 for the McFarland Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements Project for technical services by HDR Engineering, Incorporated in the amount of $64,949.21.
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To authorize Ralph Spidalieri, authorized representative, to execute the Ohio Water Development Authority Fund Payment Request #7 for the McFarland Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements Project for technical services by HDR Engineering, Incorporated in the amount of $75,727.47.
32:55 Min. The Commissioners’ Office agreed to table the service Contract Agreement with Kash Moving Corp to provide services related to the relocation of all courthouse employees back to the courthouse and into the new courthouse, in an amount not to exceed $23,680.00. Ms. Bevan reported that there are more items that need to be moved from 470 Center St and once the extent of those is known, this will again be discussed.
34:53 Min. Public Defender: The Commissioners’ Office acknowledged receipt of the letter from R. Robert Umholtz, Public Defender, in regard to his retirement and funding request for the remainder of 2025 in the amount of $33,766.88 to cover retirement/staff expenses and “to be determined” adjustment in their 2026 budget request with changes to payroll and hospitalization.
Mr. Umholtz was present and introduced Paul Mooney, who will serve as Public Defender after Mr. Umholtz retires.
The Commissioners all spoke in praise of Mr. Umholtz’s long career as an attorney and as the Geauga County Public Defender.
40:59 Min Public Comment
A South Russell Township resident reminded everyone that Veteran’s Day was on November 11th.
Mr. Craig Swenson, Job and Family Services (JFS) Director, spoke about the impacts of the Federal Government shutdown. He said that at this point 2,700 individuals in Geauga County are not going to receive their SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or food stamp) benefits. He said that Geauga has a wonderful food pantry system which JFS helps to fund and that the Geauga Hunger Task Force does a great job. He said that it is best to contribute directly to food pantries, and he mentioned the Burton Food Pantry as being particularly well stocked. They are in communication with the Cleveland Food Bank. Mr. Dvorak said that he saw that Laketran has waived transportation fees for anyone on SNAP during the duration of the shutdown.
45:55 Min. Board Discussion - Geauga County Courthouse Expansion - Retainage Release
Mr. Bestgen, Project Manager for Infinity Construction, asked the Commissioners for a partial release of retainage. He said that there were eight contractors for whom they withheld 10%, but they only had to retain 5% according to the contract with the County. He asked to be able to release 5% of those amounts so that they could meet some obligations. He said this would still leave over $800,000 retainage and that they only had a small punchlist.
Mrs. Brakey said it appeared there was $2 Million left to bill. Mrs. Brakey also asked if NV5 had reviewed this request and agreed to it and Ms. Bevan said that they had done so. This will be approved as part of next week’s formal Agenda.
51:00 Min. Executive Session - The Board entered Executive Session at 10:15 am to discuss compensation of public employees. The Board was joined by Ms. Bevan.
Observer Note: This observer viewed the remainder of the meeting virtually.
1:20:00 Min. Return from Executive Session at 10:47 am with actions as follows:
Meeting adjourned at approximately 10:48 am.
Information and Posted Minutes: Available here.
Next Regular Meeting of the BOCC: The next Regular Meeting of the BOCC will be on Thursday, November 13, 2025 at 9:30 am at the County Administration Building, 12611 Ravenwood Drive, Room B303, Chardon, OH. This meeting was changed from the regular Tuesday meeting due to the Veteran’s Day holiday on November 11, 2025.
Observer: Gail Roussey
Editor: Sarah McGlone
Reviewer: Carol Benton
Date Submitted: November 10, 2025
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