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Board of County Commissioners - Department Budget Hearings - September 26 & 28 and October 3, 2023

Meeting Details: The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) met at various times on September 26, September 28, and October 3, 2023 for the purpose of reviewing budget requests received from County Departments under the hiring authority of the BOCC.  These hearings were held at the County Administration Building, 12611 Ravenwood Drive, Room B303, Chardon, OH. BOCC meetings were in-person only, and there are no recordings for the public to view

Background: Hearing times were listed in advance and followed the order except for two:  the GC-Mental Health and Recovery Board switched times with the Dog Warden and the Department of Aging switched with the Maintenance Department. There were a total of 31 hearings.  

Observers attended over half of the hearings and comments are listed for those that were attended.  

Observer Comment: It should be noted that Departments submitted these budgetary requests in advance of the Budget Commission submittal deadline of July 20, 2023.  At the Budget Commission meetings to certify all budgets, the BOCC was asked to consider changing the schedule of Department Budget Hearings so that they occur before the Budget Commission certifies the budget.  Any changes made at these October hearings cannot be reflected in the BOCC budget, which has already been certified.  See Budget Commission Observer reports for August 21-30 

Public Comment Policy: There was no public comment and this follows normal practice for all meetings conducted as “hearings.” 

Attendance: Present were Commissioners Ralph Spidalieri (except for Tuesday, October 3), James Dvorak, and Timothy Lennon (except for Thursday, September 28).  Also present were County Administrator Gerald Morgan, County Assistant Administrator Linda Burhenne, Budget and Finance Manager Adrian Gorton and Senior Financial Specialist Deborah Ashburn.

County Representatives: At each hearing the Department Chair attended and in some cases a finance assistant was present also.

More Information and Posted Minutes for BOCC: Available here

Observer Note:  The Commissioners approved across the board 5% increases for all County employees for 2023 and 3% raises for 2024. These were noted at various times.  There are also statutory increases for certain office holders which are a result of the new population 2022 census which lists Geauga population as 95,469.  Once the population is over 95,000, there are mandated increases.  See ORC 325.

Tuesday, September 26th

12:00 PM to 12:15 PM OSU Extension Eric Draper - No Observer Present

12:20 PM to 12:50 PM Board of Elections Michelle Lane - There were 4 representatives present from BOE. They reported:

• Salaries are in line and did not change much.

• There was $192,000 in equipment in the budget. This included a new vehicle and new voting booths. The vehicle was removed as they received an unused vehicle from the County. In the past, private vehicles were used.

• Grants have been applied for but they may need to come back for unexpected funds.

12:55 PM to 1:55 PM Auditor / ADP Charles Walder

Auditor Walder was present and another staff person. Mr. Walder said that it was important to submit the budget on time and that they were late this year by three weeks.  The two main issues discussed were the revaluation of property and the GIS system ( Geographic Information System).

They are implementing a new GIS system. This will be launched 1/1/2024. No amount was discussed.

Mr. Walder discussed the change to property valuation and that the average will be a 25-35% increase. This is fixed at the state legislation level and is unprecedented. He expressed concern that this will be shocking to the community and that the amount of requests for individual property revaluations will be very high. This may cause them to come back to the County Commissioners.  There is a House Bill that is trying to suppress this increase. The numbers will be certified in December. Letters to the community will be going out in October or early November. 

ADP - Mr. Walder discussed the project of converting New World to cloud based. They will maintain two separate systems for a year after 1/1/2024. The additional cost will be $160,000. Total for computer projects will cost $330,000 next year. Contract services will be $485,000. Hiring has stabilized. They are close to full staff and wages have increased. A total of $350,000 for computer equipment was removed from the budget.

2:00 PM to 2:30 PM Airport Authority Richard Blamer

Mr. Blamer was joined by 2 other representatives. Items discussed:

They have a 10-year capital improvement plan. The 2021/2022 land acquisition is still ongoing as they are missing deeds. The Auditor's office will help to acquire those deeds.

Taxiway extension is moving along.

Aviation fuel is a revenue center, meaning that the revenue for fuel exceeds cost.

Blamer discussed another hangar as the new T hangar is a success and there is a waiting list. The hangars are a revenue source.

There were no amounts discussed.

It was noted that the county’s low interest loan for the new T hangar was being paid off in a timely manner.

The part that the airport could play in the economic development of the county was discussed. The Airport Authority would like to expand by acquiring more land.

2:35 PM to 3:05 PM Soil & Water Carmella Shale - No Observer Present

3:10 PM to 3:40 PM Prosecutor Jim Flaiz 

Present were Prosecutor Flaiz and Fiscal Coordinator Samantha Harris.

There were increases noted for the statutory pay increases (due to the census and change in population level), also for the 5% and 3% raises that the Commissioners approved for all county employees.  Mr. Flaiz said he appreciated the clarity of knowing that there will be 3% raises for several years  (2024 and 2025). 

Mr. Flaiz said that the Prosecutors Association of Ohio is advocating as their # 1 priority to fully fund the Victim/Witness position.

Mr. Flaiz also talked about the Settlement Agreement with the City of Chardon which could involve needing more employees.  Under the agreement, the County Prosecutor was supposed to be assigned some work currently being done by the Municipal Prosecutor’s office. Chardon City would still have their own prosecutor, and unincorporated municipalities, like townships, would be switched to the County.  Mr. Flaiz said that 89% of the County lives in townships.  He said that taking this out of municipal court would involve a change to the Ohio Revised Code which hasn’t occurred yet.  If it does, they would have 90 days to implement. He anticipated that they would need an additional $190,000 and they would use employees from the Municipal Court system.  

3:45 PM to 4:15 PM Maintenance Glen Vernick 

Mr. Vernick was joined by Ms. Susan Sucowsky.  Mr. Gorton said that there had been significant increases in payroll and equipment ($360,000 including money for grounds and electricity).  Mr. Vernick said that since COVID, some expenses have tripled.  They are also understaffed at this point.

They have hired two new contract coordinators. 

Mr. Lennon asked for specifics about the requests for equipment funds.  Mr. Gorton said that they have approved $10,000 for equipment and it is anticipated that as the need arises for the additional items they would be reviewed at that time by the Commissioners.  The purchase of a new dump truck is currently on hold.

Mr. Gorton clarified that some of the requests for equipment from the Maintenance Dept. were not funded in the 2024 budget.  See discussion of the Budget at the June 22, 2023 BOCC meeting here.

Thursday, September 28th

8:15 AM to 8:45 AM Building Department Dan Spada - No Observer Present

8:50 AM to 9:20 AM Community Development Gina Hofstetter - No Observer Present

9:25 AM to 9:55 AM Municipal Court Judge Stupica - No Observer Present

10:00 AM to 11:00 AM Job & Family Services - Craig Swenson

The JFS Department Budget Hearing began at 10:01 am. JFS staff present included Director Craig Swenson, Assistant Director Paul Reiman, and Financial Administrator Alyssa Steinhoff.

Mr. Swenson noted that JFS has been consistently under budget as well as understaffed, with JFS  down seven employees. He stated that he is very pleased with the staff that JFS does have. He expressed his discomfort with the high cash balance of “$9 million plus” in the levy fund, but he noted that about $6 million of those funds are set aside to build the new youth center. Mr. Swenson stated that JFS does have a plan and that the youth center has been discussed at the JFS Budget Hearing for the last few years. He expressed his hope they can start spending these set aside funds to begin the youth center construction process in the next year. He is waiting on confirmation as to whether JFS can use the same bidding/procurement process that has happened with the courthouse project. Mr. Swenson noted that JFS has been hoping to get started on the new youth center for a long time, as the current youth center can only fit seven kids and the new youth center will fit sixteen.

Mr. Spidalieri stated that we are in a fortunate situation in Geauga financially and “having additional funds in place is not a bad thing, because we really don’t know what economic times are ahead of us.” He went on to say that the Budget Commission often says that “you shouldn’t have this, or you shouldn’t have that,” and he disagrees with this position. He feels that entities like JFS that do a good job managing themselves fiscally should be congratulated, as having additional funds available can be very helpful since “we can’t predict what tomorrow brings.” Mr. Swenson acknowledged that JFS gets “a lot of pressure” from the Budget Commission, including the Budget Commissioners having them suspend collection on one of their levies last year. 

Mr. Spidalieri stated that he heard that taxpayers continued to pay for the suspended 0.5 Mills JFS levy even after its suspension. Ms. Steinhoff explained that the proper amount was indeed collected (that is, no taxpayer money was collected for the suspended levy); however, a software error credited JFS with the amount it would have received from the suspended levy. Ms. Steinhoff stated she noticed JFS received more money than she had expected, and started asking questions that led to the discovery of the software error. At that time, the funds were taken from JFS and distributed to other County levies where they rightly belonged. Mr. Spidalieri said that he has heard from taxpayers that their tax bills never went down to reflect the JFS levy suspension. Ms. Steinhoff explained that in some municipalities, there were other levies taking effect at the same time as the JFS levy reduction, and that offset caused some taxpayers’ tax bills to remain the same. Mr. Gorton noted that the third-party software program that caused the error is being replaced.       

Mr. Swenson shared a plan to potentially replace their current non-qualified 0.5 Mill Children’s Services levy with a 0.3 Mills Human Services levy, which would be a tax reduction. This way, it could fund services to all Geauga citizens, regardless of age. Mr. Swenson said that the public assistance department has had a shortfall of $100,000-150,000 for the past three years, and a Human Services levy could rectify this. Mr. Dvorak observed the potential Human Services levy would allow JFS to diversify more. Mr. Gorton asked if other counties have had success with this, and Mr. Swenson replied that Medina County has a Human Services levy and confirmed that this would still fund Children’s Services to the amount needed and allow them to give additional funds to public assistance if needed all while being a tax cut. Mr. Gorton asked about revenue projections, and Mr. Swenson stated JFS receives about $1.5 million a year at 0.5 Mills and would receive about $900,000 at 0.3 Mills. Ms. Steinhoff noted that more projections need to be done to be sure this is the direction JFS wants to go in.

Mr. Gorton asked about how the increased wages are being received by JFS staff. Mr. Swenson reported the staff, himself included, appreciates the wage increases that they know will take effect after certain benchmarks, such as number of years of employment, are met. He referred to the new compensation plan as a “game changer” for the staff, and he anticipates it will increase retention of good quality employees. Mr. Swenson recommended similar compensation plans be considered for other departments. Mr. Dvorak asked if JFS would be willing to train other departments on their employee compensation system, which includes increased employee supervision and evaluation, and Mr. Swenson stated he has talked with Mr. Morgan about this in the past and he would be willing to talk to other directors as well. Mr. Gorton asked about staff turnover, and Mr. Swenson said they are not seeing much turnover among more senior employees. However, social services positions are still challenging retention-wise because there is a four-year degree requirement. Social workers are now earning $21.07 an hour, but Mr. Swenson stated this compensation level might not be enough for four-year degree holders. He went on to say that social workers are akin to first responders, and he would like to see their compensation level rise to about $50,000 a year from about $43,000 currently. Mr. Swenson stated he feels JFS can afford this level of compensation. Commissioners Spidalieri and Dvorak both voiced their openness to considering a compensation increase for social workers.

Mr. Gorton asked for confirmation that JFS didn’t plan for any new vehicles this year, and this confirmation was given by Mr. Swenson and Ms. Steinhoff. Mr. Gorton asked if JFS felt their new office space at the Geauga County Office Building is serving them well? Mr. Swenson said they are waiting on replacement parts for their cubicles to make them more functional. Ms. Steinhoff confirmed that the new office space has room for expansion/additional future employees. 

The JFS Department Budget Hearing was adjourned at 10:55 am.

11:05 AM to 11:20 AM Archives - Karen Murphy / Clair Wilson

The Archives Department Budget Hearing began at 11:07 am. Archives Staff present included Administrator Karen Murphy and Archivist Clair Wilson. Observer Note: County Commissioner Spidalieri did not attend this hearing.

Ms. Wilson stated there were no changes to Archives’ budget numbers currently. Mr. Gorton said that Archives’ budget is “pretty straightforward,” though he noted some changes may be needed due to the hiring of the new administrator and clerk to bring the payroll accounts into compliance with staffing law. Mr. Gorton affirmed there will be no new equipment or additional staff changes and that the department is fully staffed with 5 personnel. Ms. Burhenne noted that one of Archives’ staff will be leaving the department in the spring and will not be replaced, meaning that the department will go forward as fully staffed at 4 employees. The new clerk was hired to assume the duties of the departing staff member as well as courier duties. Ms. Burhenne also said that there is a great deal of cross training of Archives staff going on in general.

Ms. Wilson confirmed that no new equipment is needed right now in response to questioning by Mr. Dvorak. Ms. Burhenne shared that the department’s reader and reader printer machines are really old and have outdated technology. She went on to advise the Commissioners that this equipment will need to be replaced by a ScanPro machine with more functionality at some point when the existing equipment breaks down, but Archives is not asking for it yet. Ms. Burhenne clarified that this equipment is important for microfilm quality control and is used daily. Mr. Morgan asked if the department had received a book scanner, and Ms. Wilson confirmed that they had.

Mr. Dvorak asked about when the next shredding dates would be. Ms. Wilson said there would be a shredding of 80 boxes of material for the Board of Elections on October 2 and then there will be another shredding later that month of an additional 100 boxes of material. There will also be a shredding in January.  

There was a discussion of the difficulty securing quality microfilm printing. Ms. Murphy stated the first batch of 41 rolls of film that they received from the company IDI was not of good quality, so IDI remade the rolls. However, IDI was having problems with their machines, resulting in issues such as missing pages. IDI is working to redo the film. Ms. Murphy said that Archives is looking into other microfilm vendors, such as US Imaging. Another option is Franklin County, which has its own equipment and is willing to do it at cost. Ms. Burhenne hypothesized that Franklin County would probably produce decent quality film but may take a while for them to complete the work, while US Imaging may produce film faster but be more expensive than Franklin County. The department will compare the quality of both Franklin County and US Imaging before making a decision.   

Mr. Dvorak said that the Archives Department is “doing a great job.” The hearing concluded at 11:19 am.

11:25 AM to 11:40 AM Commissioners - Gerry Morgan

The County Commissioners Office Budget Hearing began at 11:25 am. Observer Note: County Commissioner Spidalieri did not arrive at this hearing until 11:39 am.

Mr. Gorton stated that they are budgeting an additional $4 million in sales tax revenue: they came into the year at $17 million, and the Budget Commission allowed a $3 million increase for this year and an increase of another $1 million for next year. Mr. Gorton explained that this amount of estimated revenue will require an average of $1.75 million in sales tax each month next year, which tracks with the average of $1.77 million the county has received each month in 2023. However, he cautioned that “if there’s any sort of hiccup in the economy or where people are spending their money or how much they’re spending, it could become a challenge.” Mr. Gorton further explained that sales tax revenue seems to keep increasing, most recently due to online sales tax and higher prices due to inflation resulting in increased sales tax as well.

Next Mr. Gorton discussed County expenses. He stated that the addition of County Assistant Administrator Ms. Burhenne was not budgeted for and will require a “true up” (reconciliation) later this year, which will include an increase of $37,000 in salaries. Mr. Gorton said that there were increased expenses of $20,000 in postage costs, $10,000 in appointed counsel costs and $20,000 in special counsel costs. There were also increases in transfers out, including agriculture transfers out due to increases from Soil and Water; exact amounts were not stated. 

Mr. Gorton stated that there are capital reserve funds for the new County Office Building as well as the Courthouse expansion. There are no budgeted expenses in the County Office Building fund, with only a limited amount of carryovers remaining. Mr. Gorton expressed his hope of having enough remaining funds to transfer into debt retirement for the two bonds taken out to build the office building. The Courthouse expansion fund is currently paying for preliminary expenses for that project, such as the construction manager and architect.             

Mr. Dvorak asked if the repaving of the Sheriff’s parking lot would come out of maintenance funds. Mr. Gorton hypothesized that it could be paid for by the building improvement fund or the general fund.

At 11:39am Mr. Spidalieri arrived at the hearing, stating he had been on a call “handling a few things over at the Sheriff’s Office.” Mr. Gorton recapped what Mr. Spidalieri had missed.

Mr. Spidalieri noted that the County Commissioners are responsible for the different County departments and expressed his opinion that “what we’re doing a fairly bad job of doing is kinda marketing what they (the County departments) do and what services are also available.” Doing more promotion of County departments via the website or a newsletter was discussed. Mr. Spidalieri suggested the possibility of contracting with a company or hiring someone to handle public affairs. He lamented that “we are not being represented accurately to the residents of this county… in the sense that they (don’t) understand what all of our departments are doing” and went on to state that “we’re missing the mark to do outreach in so many ways.” He advocated the importance of doing outreach via physical mailings, not just via the Internet and social media, and said he has seen the benefit of this approach in his business despite it being “a little bit costly.” Mr. Gorton stated the County does have public information officers and had at one time looked at hiring a media person and that hiring someone like Mr. Spidalieri suggested might be worth consideration, with Ms. Burhenne mentioning a contract with a PR firm could also work.

Mr. Dvorak went over the County’s $17.7 million in ARPA funds, with $10 million committed to the Courthouse, a potential $6 million for the McFarland Water Treatment plant, $560,000 for Geauga Water Systems, $486,000 for sewer tie-ins, and $650,000 available for various other projects. He stated that he would be comfortable with $4 million rather than $6 million going to the McFarland Plant.

Mr. Dvorak asked Mr. Morgan to explain University Hospital Geauga being hooked up to the County water system.  Mr. Morgan indicated that the water service connection for the hospital is hooked up, but they are still working on an agreement for a bigger loop around the hospital so that the hospital wouldn’t have to rely on just that one service line. He stated that part of this agreement may involve transferring ownership of the hospital’s well to the County so it could be connected to the county water treatment plant; however, this agreement has not been finalized yet. Mr. Morgan confirmed that the hospital’s four-inch water line is hooked up to County service, but said his understanding was that the water isn’t actually turned on yet. Observer Note: Later in the day at the Water Resources Department Budget Hearing, it was determined that water service at the hospital had been turned on. Mr. Dvorak asked if there was a contract for that segment of the job, and Mr. Morgan stated there is not a contract but rather that was just the hospital becoming a water customer. Mr. Dvorak asked if Water Resources would be providing the work, labor and materials for the future eight-inch line going around the hospital. Mr. Morgan replied that the hospital will be paying for the new installation, with the County’s only role being inspecting the installation. Though negotiations are still ongoing, Mr. Morgan stated that as of now the only anticipated expense to Water Resources for the hospital project is the cost to do the inspections.

Mr. Dvorak wrapped up the ARPA fund discussion by explaining potential alternate uses for the $2 million he would like to take from the McFarland project, including $1 million for an expo center being discussed by the fair board, $250,000 for a new Geauga Historical Society roof, a request from Judge John Eklund for $100,000 for Habitat for Humanity, as well as an undisclosed amount requested by the Department on Aging. He noted that they would have to determine if ARPA funds can legally be used to fund any or all of these projects.   

The County Commissioners Office Budget Hearing was concluded at 11:51 am.

12:15 PM to 1:15 PM Sheriff - Sheriff Scott Hildenbrand

The Sheriff’s Department Budget Hearing began at 12:22 pm. Sheriff’s Office Staff present included Sheriff Scott Hildenbrand and Chief Deputy Tom Rowan.

Sheriff Hildenbrand stated that they were prepared to go through what has changed since the tax budget was approved. He said that the new personnel service schedule amount is $9,348,531, which is a decrease of approximately $117,000. He also presented a number of revised equipment requests (no cost information was stated other than where noted below):

• 18 body cameras for corrections officers

• 10 flock cameras that record vehicle descriptions and license plate numbers to place at locations around the county lines to help solve crimes such as car theft for $4,700.60 each installed, with an additional annual fee of an undisclosed amount

• Defensive tactics mats to avoid injuries during required jiu jitsu training that Deputies must complete once a month for five months a year. Chief Deputy Rowan noted that the department would train anyone who wants to come to these classes. The number of mats needed was not stated

• A multi-network router for the cruisers to allow uploading and downloading videos from the field

• A new utility trailer to replace the current one that is over 15 years old

• A new machine to clean floors at the jail

• New copiers/printers (number of machines needed not stated)

• New file cabinets for the evidence room (number of file cabinets needed not stated)

• Ballistic shields to be kept in cruiser trunks to be utilized in the field when needed (number of ballistic shields needed not stated)

• Computer switches that Sheriff Hildenbrand stated ADP told them to replace (number of computer switches needed not stated)

• Docking stations for body camera firmware updates (number of docking stations needed not stated)   

• Equipment needed to upgrade the 9-1-1 system (equipment types and numbers not stated)

• 800 system equipment, including a ground resistance meter, connectors, and communications truck upgrades

Sheriff Hildenbrand stated that they project $1.3 million in revenue from prisoner housing next year and have approximately $841,000 in prisoner housing revenue so far in 2023. He noted that there has been a big increase in the number of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) inmates and that Geauga County is also providing housing for some Cuyahoga County inmates, both of which contribute to the large increase in prisoner housing revenue. Chief Deputy Rowan stated that there were about 130 inmates in the county jail that day and that the jail has the capacity to house up to 182 inmates.

Sheriff Hildenbrand said that contract services costs have “gone up dramatically” due to having to pay for cloud service, Microsoft 365, the flock camera system, and employing a medical billing company to deal with bills from the hospital. The Sheriff noted that the billing company is faster, cheaper, and more efficient than the County employing someone to do this job.

Mr. Gorton apprised the Sheriff and Chief Deputy that there is a push to move the County Commissioners’ Departmental Budget Hearings so that they occur before the Budget Commission’s tax budget hearings in August. He stated that this may mean various departments would have their Department Budget Hearings during Board of County Commissioners meetings. The Sheriff stated that things can change a lot from Spring to October and that he prefers the department hearings when they are now.

Sheriff Hildenbrand pointed out that the Safety Center parking lot will need to be repaved soon and that the exterior steel jail doors are rotting out on the bottom due to salt exposure in the winter. He said that the gap is about 2-3” and could allow rodents to get in. Chief Deputy Rowan noted that very few companies manufacture jail doors, so they may be hard to replace. He also said that they have a number of windows that need to be replaced, as they are getting cloudy. The Sheriff confirmed that they are getting hard to see out of and that the bulletproof laminate is starting to come off. Everyone expressed surprise/dismay at these issues since the building is only about 20 years old.

Sheriff Hildenbrand expressed his gratitude for the Commissioners’ reasonableness and support and said that Mr. Gorton does a great job. Mr. Spidalieri referred to the Sheriff’s Office as “our home team” and “our MVPs” and expressed the opinion that “if we don’t give you the equipment for you guys to do your job, we’re failing.” The Sheriff noted that things go much more smoothly when you work together and don’t have to involve attorneys. Mr. Spidalieri stated his willingness to pay more as a taxpayer for the safety and security the Sheriff’s Department provides.

Mr. Dvorak asked if they were anticipating any more retirements, and Chief Deputy Rowan said none were anticipated beyond the 4-5 that occurred earlier in the year, though he noted some Deputies have been serving long enough that they could retire at any time. Mr. Spidalieri asked if they have sufficient manpower, to which the Chief Deputy replied that they would ask for one more Deputy in the next year or so to serve at the new court. Mr. Dvorak asked if all cruisers had AEDs, and Chief Deputy Rowan stated that they are one down and working with the hospital for a replacement.

Mr. Gorton came up with a total of about $160,000 in new equipment requests (as described earlier in this report). Both Commissioners present stated they were willing to fund those items immediately.  

Mr. Gorton asked about Post Two, as in the past plans to either improve it or get rid of it have been discussed. Mr. Spidalieri stated he thinks a good maintenance center is needed, which could perhaps be paid for by ARPA funds. He suggested Post Two may not need to be kept if a new maintenance center is built. The Sheriff pointed out that a good maintenance center would be useful to a variety of county vehicles and that the maintenance costs for Post Two are high. There was some discussion about where a hypothetical maintenance center would be located, with all preferring a location near the Safety Center.

The Sheriff’s Department Budget Hearing ended at 1:15 pm.

Observer Note: Between the Sheriff and Water Resources Budget Hearings, Mr. Dvorak asked when the Commissioners’ Budget Hearings would be if the dates changed.  Mr. Gorton responded that they would want to be done by mid-June, so the hearings would likely start in late April or May and then go into early June. He restated the idea of having the hearings during BOCC weekly meetings, with only 2-3 hearings at a time. Mr. Morgan suggested scheduling the hearings during BOCC work sessions so that minutes would not have to be taken. Mr. Gorton countered that he thought it would be good to have the hearings during BOCC meetings so that the public would have access to the proceedings.

1:20 PM to 1:50 PM Water Resources - Nick Gorris

The Water Resource Department Budget Hearing began at 1:23 pm. Water Resources Staff present included Interim Director Mr. Gorris and Fiscal and Personnel Specialist Kathleen Miller. 

Observer Note: County Commissioner Spidalieri did not arrive at this hearing until 1:49 pm. Mr. Gorris has since been appointed as the permanent Director of Water Resources.

Mr. Gorton stated that the Water Resource budget highlights include water and sewer equipment requests and sewer improvement fund planned projects.

Mr. Gorris explained that the $230,000 in sewer equipment requests include replacing two operator vehicles that each have over 100,000 miles on them as well as a tool truck. They would also like to add an engineering department pickup truck for inspections. Water Resources also requested another mower, as they have taken on doing their own mowing with staff on overtime, which is cheaper than contracting it out. Mr. Gorris stated that they are planning to take down the original treatment plant by the Services Center and repurpose a building there for controls and storage. He also stated that they have an incubator in the lab that is old and may need to be replaced at any time. Water Resources also requested a GIS handheld device with less wires and greater accuracy (+/- 1.5 feet) than what they have currently as well as generators for plants without one.

Mr. Gorton asked how many inspectors Water Resources has now. Mr. Gorris responded that there is only one dedicated inspector as well as two design engineers who can also do inspections.

Mr. Gorris explained that a $100,000 budget line item on the water side would fund water meters, meter pits, pumps, valve boxes, and hydrants. Mr. Gorton asked how the “drive-by” meters that transmit information are working out. Mr. Gorris said that they work well until the meters die and noted that they are experimenting with Bluetooth/cellular units now. Mr. Gorton asked what happened with a case he heard of where someone got a big refund on their water bill. Mr. Gorris replied that the wrong meter was used that resulted in the person’s actual water usage being multiplied by 1.3 and shared that they just identified another case of this happening. He noted that these problems are easier to detect now with their online system that can identify big jumps in customers’ usage.

Interim Director Gorris shared that UH Geauga Hospital is now the #1 water user in the system at 48,000 gallons a day. He noted that he met with them today to talk about their second 4-inch connection. Mr. Dvorak asked for a copy of the agreement with the hospital for this connection, but Mr. Gorris said it’s just a 4-inch application at this point, not a contract. He said that there will be a bigger conversation about the hospital’s wells later, with the hope that the hospital’s Wells 1 and 2 would eventually become County Wells 4 and 5. However, in the short term, in an effort to be a “good neighbor,” they got the hospital an emergency water connection. Mr. Gorris stated that a 4-inch service line is all that’s in place right now so the hospital can resume full services and that it was connected by contractor, though Water Resources staff was on site for inspection. He also said that the hospital’s capacity fee will be worked out later along with the matter of well ownership.

Mr. Gorris explained that Bainbridge’s water is purchased from Cleveland Water, which he said is fairly cheap because they buy water in bulk; the water for the rest of the County comes from County wells and is treated by Water Resources. He said that the County has 991 water account customers, which is a small system but it still needs upgrades and upkeep.

Ms. Miller said that they reduced their projected revenue in the sewer improvement fund because the $2 million estimate was unrealistic; they have generally made closer to $1 million a year so she adjusted accordingly. Ms. Miller stated that they already have a contract in place for the design of the Aquilla lagoon liner replacement project, and the construction will be funded out of the sewer improvement fund as well.

Ms. Miller said that in terms of personnel they are in good shape financially, as they are saving money right now due to not having a full-time Director or IT person in place. She stated she thinks they will still be in good shape next year if the full-time Director position is filled and noted that they don’t plan to have a full-time IT person again. Water Resources is advertising to fill some positions, including a mechanic, a maintenance worker, and a chief operator at the McFarland Treatment Plant. The new assistant water supervisor starts October 1 and was not included in the budget, but Ms. Miller explained that they have plenty of appropriations to cover that expense and even an additional maintenance worker on the water side if they are able to fill that position. Mr. Gorris noted that the current water supervisor may retire any time, so the new assistant water supervisor will be trained and ready to step into that position when necessary.

Mr. Gorris said that they are starting to look into closing/cleaning up some of Water Resources’ funds, but first they need to look into the history of why each fund was created. Mr. Gorton suggested checking with Chief Deputy Auditor Ron Leyde to help with that.

Mr. Gorton asked when they will be breaking ground on the McFarland Treatment Plant renovation and upgrade project. Ms. Miller stated that they don’t know yet, with Mr. Gorris noting that they are still working on ARPA funding for this project. He went on to explain that they have received some funding from U.S. Representative Dave Joyce in the amount of $3.5 million (Observer Note: more information available on Representative Joyce's website under “FY24 Appropriations Committee Community Project Funding Requests”) and they have also secured a $25 million loan from the State of Ohio described as “EPA money” as well. Mr. Gorris said that the original estimated cost of the McFarland project was $33 million, and they have ideas on scaling back the McFarland project if necessary. He also noted that they are waiting for finalization of ARPA funds for the Aquilla lagoon liner replacement and mechanical upgrades project as well.

Mr. Spidalieri arrived at this point (1:49 pm).

Mr. Gorris said the third big project Water Resources is planning (other than the ones at McFarland and Aquilla) is the Services Center “clear well” (meaning empty water tank) project that would increase water capacity by 50,000 additional gallons.          

Mr. Gorton asked if the septic receiving station at McFarland is operating? Mr. Gorris said that the scale there needs some work as it stopped working about six weeks ago, and they have Metro Toledo coming out to look at it. He noted that the scale is old and utilizes outdated technology and at some point, it will need to be replaced. Mr. Dvorak asked how much they charge for septic drop-off at McFarland, and Mr. Gorris replied that he didn’t know the exact amount and would find out, but he did know that it is done by weight.    

Mr. Gorris noted that Water Resources revenue is ahead of projections and that they are always adding new customers, including the Bainbridge McDonalds and soon-to-be customers in the new homes being built in the Canyon Lakes development (also in Bainbridge). He said that the Bainbridge Township facilities will be tying in to County water services in the near future as well.  

Ms. Miller stated that Water Resources “would love a commitment on the ARPA funds for the McFarland project” from the County Commissioners because they can’t move forward without it. Mr. Dvorak said it was under review. Mr. Spidalieri asked how much they were requesting, and Mr. Gorris said it originally was a request for $5 million in ARPA funding. Ms. Miller and Mr. Gorris both stated that they could use even more funding than that amount if it is available. Mr. Spidalieri stated that “if we weren’t giving Chardon ten million bucks (for the Courthouse), I would say that we would have definitely been in a whole lot better position (to give Water Resources more money). We’ve made a really bad deal as far as I’m concerned on that for this Courthouse.”     

The Water Resources Department Budget Hearing was adjourned at 1:57 pm.

1:55 PM to 2:25 PM Aging Jessica Boalt - No Observer Present

2:30 PM to 3:00 PM Maintenance Projects Glen Vernick - No Observer Present

3:05 PM to 3:35 PM Board of DD Don Rice - No Observer Present

3:40 PM to 4:10 PM Dog Warden Matt Granito - No Observer Present

4:15 PM to 4:30 PM Public Defender Bob Umholtz - No Observer Present

Tuesday, October 3

8:45 AM to 9:15 AM Treasurer Chris Hitchcock 

Mr. Hitchcock reported that Geauga County is “embarrassed by our richness.”

He stated that the property tax collection rate is very high - almost 100%.

He did talk about the fact that there is a revaluation which will result in higher property values and higher taxes.  It was his opinion that, in terms of the inside millage windfall that the County will receive as a result of the revaluation, that the County could choose not to “pick up” the extra. In other words, the County would simply suspend collection for part of its inside millage so that residents would not experience an increase on that part of their tax bill.  Observer Note:  Several meetings have covered the actions recommended by the Budget Commission.  The Treasurer is one of three members of the Budget Commission.  See Observer Report of the Budget Commission meeting on October 24, 2023

12:00 PM to 12:15 PM Recorder Celesta Mullins - No Observer Present

12:20 PM to 12:35 PM Veterans Michele Pemberton

There was a discussion about whether the Veterans’ Van could be utilized to transport veterans after they have been released from Geauga/UH Hospital.  Commissioners expressed support for veterans and veterans services.

12:40 PM to 12:55 PM Planning Linda Crombie

Ms. Combie discussed the wage increases that occurred in April and again this July.  She said that they also added a GIS intern.  This person will be focused primarily on census and GIS.

She said another expense was for Allyson Korbus to participate in Leadership Geauga

Staff have been attending the Township Association dinners, which has been beneficial in building relationships.

The Planning Commission is considering raising fees for lot splits and hope to have the fee schedule in place in 2024.

Hearing ended at 12:53 pm

1:00 PM to 1:45 PM Engineer Joe Cattell, Administrator Katie Taylor and Deputy Engineer Andy Haupt

Observer Note:  Engineer Joe Cattell has previously announced that he will not run for re-election next year and indicated that Mr. Haupt would be his preferred candidate.

Mr. Cattell said they have been very aggressive going after grants and have brought in over $10 Million for county projects.  Mr. Cattell said they are still short on staff but they have been doing a lot of cross training and they hired a GIS tech.

Mr. Cattell reported that their equipment is in good shape. They have a 5-year plan but due to the UAW strike, some items might not be available. They go through the state purchasing agreement.  Mr. Cattell said they have also sold used vehicles to townships to help them.  They also have a rental resource program which allows townships to utilize equipment.

They are putting in 4.5 bridges a year on average.  Cattell said that with their schedule they will be in better shape than just about anyone else in the State.  He reported getting funds from the Federal government due to Congressman Joyce.  He said that if a bridge is longer than 10’ it is done by the County.

He said it appeared that NOACA was cutting back from $920,000 to $800,000 for a paving project.  Mr. Lennon said he would call NOACA and get the full amount reinstated.

They will be upgrading the garage for salt.  They are not using cinders or a cinder mix as that is more expensive.

1:50 PM to 2:20 PM Mental Health and Recovery Services (MHRS) - Christine Lakomiak (rescheduled from Thursday, 9/28) - also attending Finance Director Jim Mauser

Ms. Lakomiak said there had been “flat” funding, but that the Medicaid rate increased by 10% (there had been no increase since 1980).  Some rates will go up 10% and some 12%.  Lakomiak said this will impact their budget in the future.

Mr. Gorton noted that there was an overall increase of $300,000 in revenue and a decrease in federal grants.  Contract services went down.

Ms. Lakomiak said that they receive funding of $1.4 million for opiate and stimulant addiction treatment from a Federal Grant.  

They are working on Recovery housing.

There was a question about equipment needs and Ms. Lakomiak said that they don’t go through ADP for computer equipment. They have a consultant, and he said they have a router that needs to be replaced

Ms. Lakomiak said they have changed their organizational structure so that instead of a Deputy Director they now have a clinical and compliance manager.  They have already hired someone for this position.

Staff salaries are not in line with the 5% and 3% raises given by the County.  They have benefited by having a staff person take the waiver on health and dental (worth $2,088)

They have a different fiscal year than the county (which is the calendar year).  Grants are on the state fiscal year.

Ms. Lakomiak reported on two programs:

Youth Center - This money goes straight to Ravenwood now. 

Stepping Up Program - This program has started and the first step is complete.  Everything was finalized with Judge Carolyn Paschke and the Sheriff and sent to Judge Evelyn Stratton.  The mapping will start in February.  This program will provide a “map” of all available resources in the County.

Ms. Lakomiak said that they have opened up the building for use by other groups.  Agencies that are funded through MHRS use the conference room for staff and board meetings.

The Suicide Prevention Line (organized by the Sheriff) uses the conference room.  It is possible to block off confidential files.

The Levy is on the ballot.  Last year they rolled back (did not collect) part of this, but collection will resume in January.  

Hearing ended at 2:29 pm.

2:25 PM to 2:55 PM Coroner Dr. John Urbancic - No Observer Present

3:00 PM to 3:15 PM Emergency Services Roger Peterson - No Observer Present

3:20 PM to 3:35 PM Clerk of Courts Sheila Bevington - No Observer Present

3:40 PM to 3:55 PM Law Library Krystal Thompson - No Observer Present

4:00 PM to 4:30 PM Common Pleas / Court Technology Judge Ondrey / Judge Paschke - No Observer Present

Next Regular Meeting of the BOCC: November 7, 2023 at 9:30 am.

More Information and Posted Minutes: Available here

Observers: Mary Heintzelman, Gail Roussey, Sarah McGlone

Editor and Reviewer: Anne Ondrey

Date Submitted: 10/29/23  

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