ADP Board Special Meeting - January 3, 2024
Meeting Details: The Automatic Data Processing Board (ADP) met in special session at 11:00 am on January 3, 2024 in the Geauga County Auditor’s Office Appraisal Conference Room at 231 Main St. Chardon, OH 44024. Virtual access was available via MS Teams and the agenda was provided in advance. This observer attended via MS Teams.
Public Comment: ADP does not have a written policy. In practice, public comment is solicited at the end of the
meeting.
Board Attendance:
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Auditor/Chief Administrator – Charles Walder
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Clerk of Courts – Sheila Bevington
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County Commissioner – James Dvorak, absent
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Engineer – Katie Taylor for Joe Cattell
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Board of Elections – Nora McGinnis and Michelle Lane
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County Prosecutor – Jim Flaiz
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Recorder – Celesta Mullins
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Sheriff – Chief Deputy Tom Rowan for Scott Hildenbrand
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Treasurer – Christopher Hitchcock, absent
ADP Staff Attendance:
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Frank Antenucci – Chief Deputy Administrator ADP
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Allen Keener – Chief Technology Officer ADP
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Josh Widdifield – Server Administrator
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Mike Dorka
Other Government Representatives:
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Linda Burhenne – Assistant County Administrator
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Adrian Gorton – County Finance Manager
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Velta Moiso – Director of IT for Common Pleas Court (virtual)
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Tom Huff – IT Officer for Common Pleas Court
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Ron Leyde – Chief Deputy Auditor
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Pam McMahan – Fiscal Office Manager, Auditor’s Office
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Kate Jacob – Chief Compliance Officer, Auditor’s Office (virtual)
Others Present:
The meeting was called to order at 11:00 am by Mr. Antenucci.
Minutes: No minutes were presented for approval.
A discussion regarding Geauga County BOCC Resolution 23-213 approved on December 28, 2023 regarding the County Records Commission and County Microfilming Board was held.
Mr. Flaiz provided background information regarding the matter. In a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in 2008, the Geauga County Records Commission, Geauga County Microfilming Board and County Commissioners at the time agreed to move responsibility for the Archives and Records Center from the County Recorder to the County Commissioners. In 2023, Mr. Flaiz asked the Ohio Attorney General (OAG) for an opinion on the legality of this arrangement under the Ohio Revised Code (ORC). The OAG determined in Opinion 2023-009 dated October 4, 2023 that the arrangement was not permissible by law and further stated, in lieu of a Records Commission and Microfilming Board, County Commissioners may opt to transfer records and microfilming management duties to the County ADP Board. At the last BOCC meeting of 2023, under Resolution 23-213, the commissioners approved moving the operation of the Archive Center under the supervision of ADP without notifying ADP of their action. See Observer Report on the Microfilming Board Meeting of November 27, 2023 where this matter was discussed, and it was felt to be unlikely that the BOCC would transfer authority to the ADP Board.
The Prosecutor’s office reviewed BOCC Resolution 23-213 and determined it was not legal under the ORC. The defects related to requirements that 1) duties being transferred be specific and that 2) a specific date of the transfer be delineated, which were not met in the language of the resolution. The Prosecutor’s office redrafted the resolution and provided it to the BOCC for action at the next meeting scheduled for January 4, 2024. Observer Note: Per review of the published BOCC meeting agenda for January 4, 2024, this was addressed under Item 22. The effective date of transfer will be January 1, 2024.
In practice these two bodies were operated from one fund for the Archive Center, and Mr. Gorton raised the issue of year-end carryover encumbrances relating to the Archive Center. Since the total of the encumbrances was approximately $4,100, it was decided that ADP would cover these obligations through its own funds. Otherwise, Mr. Gorton stated that no serious accounting transition issues were identified. The funds for the Archive Center will be merged with those of ADP.
The ADP Board decided that to ensure transparency, the matter of hiring of the five employees of the Archive Center should be addressed in general session, not in executive session. The consensus of the ADP Board members was that the Archive Center is very well run now and the team provides a high level of service to the county. The Board approved the hiring of the five employees as ADP employees effective January 1, 2024, subject to the approval of the revised resolution by the BOCC at its January 4, 2024 meeting. This action will ensure that the employees affected will receive their pay without interruption. These employees must resign as BOCC employees, and Mr. Flaiz will provide language for the resignation letters to the employees.
Mr. Flaiz explained that the transfer of the Archive Center responsibilities to ADP will require a change to the composition of the ADP Board. The County Coroner and a representative from the Common Pleas Court must be added. Mr. Flaiz notified the affected parties and asked the Common Pleas Court to elect its representative and both parties to name designees.
Other Business: Mr. Antenucci asked if there was any other business for the Board to address. There was none.
Public Comment: Mr. Antenucci asked for any public comments/questions. There were none.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:41 am.
The next meeting of the ADP Board is the annual organizational and special meeting that is scheduled for January 8, 2024.
Minutes when posted are available here: Meeting Minutes | Geauga County Automatic Data Processing
Virtual Meeting Information: Contact Pamela McMahan at pmcmahan@gcauditor.com
Observer: Carol Benton
Editor: Anne Ondrey
Reviewer: Gail Roussey
Submitted 1/5/24
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