[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6166839,"mediaKeyId","5414120-159127f32893f2fc54538f4e88e20e5f","parentId",5414120,"title","County department heads report personnel, IT and facilities updates; commissioners approve several contracts and hires","audioSeconds",668,"startMs",5692000,"endMs",6360000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5414120-159127f32893f2fc54538f4e88e20e5f&start=5692&end=6360","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5414120-159127f32893f2fc54538f4e88e20e5f/thumbnail_5692000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6166839/Richland-County/Ohio/County-department-heads-report-personnel-IT-and-facilities-updates-commissioners-approve-several-contracts-and-hires","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6166839-f5a296de67bfd96d19779e9dbd09cedf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771191050&Signature=ZiSstLLJwM4JazwMWdhfbm7GNJIqMe9Z4o-KhrRUxF8ck~Z~vg0albe-6OlhZ-eM6CP2dOzFjgmZIWy1GyAIyGHmRc-eArvxOno8YZKeeHgKWbDWExOnHe7~otyXr7wDJFFyO-0Lwf0AVZIu~pq9Gptb~TDR8t1ff~fSEQnG6zkeix3~loUXQuSUCeyjgAtSls7MWTKeaGnC2NbLyBdHpdL2w6ViFGQYJKvn9-JttALMdYISEGJxgHiEqBYnrbEafP2MP-yo1ycbN6TGl1kjJxf3Tbg3NNEG2QQMfhy4a1QPhpVNkFPnOcyxVzR7jx14K39Q9xVWwuUnRpOPimu0GA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Richland County OH","date","2025-07-17T19:35:59.99Z","article","After the public comment session and formal business, Richland County commissioners held a shortened department-head meeting July 17 and approved a series of administrative items, personnel-policy clarifications and facility contracts.

Personnel policy manual: Kelly (human resources) told the board an updated personnel policy manual with minor clarifications and grammatical fixes would be distributed by email and asked commissioners to sign an acknowledgment and ensure distribution to department employees. Commissioners moved and approved the changes.

IT: Pat from the county’s IT team described a newly acquired certified “media destroyer” that physically destroys hard drives to satisfy federal and state agencies’ data‑disposal requirements. Pat said departments on the county network can use the service and the IT office will provide certificates of destruction for agencies that need HIPAA or other compliance documentation.

Hiring and contracts approved: the board approved a part‑time kennel attendant position starting July 31 at $14.14 per hour; the 2025–26 rock‑salt contract was awarded to Cargill Incorporated at $64.96 per ton; and the commissioners approved a small furniture repair quote to Craftwood LLC ($700) and an additional appropriations transfer to cover forensic evaluation invoices for the common pleas general division (estimated maximum $5,700).

Facilities and capital projects: county facilities staff presented two larger renovation projects for commissioner approval. The board approved a phased plumbing replacement project at the Juvenile Justice Center to replace combined basin/toilet units and associated horizontal runs; design services were proposed for the project and hazardous‑materials investigation was included in the planning estimate. Commissioners also approved a plan to install a new 200+ ton exterior chiller (evaporator barrel inside) on the roof/mezzanine of a county building; the estimated construction plus design budget for the chiller project was included in the materials presented to the board.

Animal services and community programs: the county animal shelter reported 119 dogs in intake since the celebration event and outlined volunteer and adoption efforts, including a Mall Mascot program with Ontario Centre and a prison‑dog program with correctional institutions. Human services reported distribution plans for back‑to‑school vouchers and an updated schedule for federally required SNAP and Medicaid work‑component changes; children’s services outlined programs to help youth aging out of foster care.

Other operational notes: several departments reported ongoing renovations (restroom work, land‑bank improvements), staffing updates and inspection work. The commissioners asked staff to follow up on timing for courtroom and restroom projects; facilities staff gave a mid‑August target for completing a fourth courtroom finish and said restroom work would continue through the fall.

Context: commissioners said they shortened the department‑head meeting to manage time but asked department heads to provide written follow‑ups when appropriate. Several motions passed by unanimous voice vote or recorded yea votes.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Commissioners Zoom's Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","County commissioners approved personnel‑policy updates, a part‑time kennel hire, a rock‑salt contract and multiple facilities projects during a shortened department‑head session July 17.","taxTitle","Richland County, Ohio","taxId",12673,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6166849,"Richland County commissioners approve resolution restricting large wind and solar in 11 unincorporated townships",5163,237000,5400000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5414120-159127f32893f2fc54538f4e88e20e5f&start=237&end=5400","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5414120-159127f32893f2fc54538f4e88e20e5f/thumbnail_237000.jpg","/articles/6166849/Richland-County/Ohio/Richland-County-commissioners-approve-resolution-restricting-large-wind-and-solar-in-11-unincorporated-townships","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6166849-7faf63dadeb6f50fccc0f7c08dc09099/orig.mp4?Expires=1771191050&Signature=NDqHxEkJdvgfXtShV4lkIPfHUxeAOPjE0XZuBntqseb~FIDSrnGG2CiGjsuW5dX-Q34KCnBUc8ubjfnJg2eS0mWdHB0YXc9R2vKT22Rg3nwx~jLXA-Wd39EuOh8cLsUwXd6Zo93oN7JyH30AHUB~IoKf-IvoEOjKLykYSaTqN0oRkk5ZlXqxw6-lGKGyLrmgbNY3QcaeT0Zp~J5biT9q7n8Z1~SWgMeBAvingtf~7VLde32BbWh~ii-0hSeddxLh1GnDq3lIuMoXMuXEWGBF4bXI9L5c8iyrL8wFBIfhbVWcXO3jdB5RR4r1CRZcqd-FGgcqxymapvRlRZpQRZFstQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Richland County Board of Commissioners voted July 17 to adopt a resolution declaring portions of unincorporated Richland County restricted areas that prohibit construction of “economically significant” wind farms, large wind farms and large solar facilities in the townships that requested the prohibition. The board said it acted after township trustees in a majority of the county’s townships formally requested commissioners take that step.

Commissioner Tony Vero introduced the background for the board, saying the county asked its 18 township trustees to respond after Senate Bill 52 became state law and gave local governments authorities and options. \"In February, our office had sent a letter to the 18 townships, requesting guidance from our townships on, the commissioner's ability to prohibit large wind and solar within the county,\" Vero said. He told trustees the county provided a sample resolution if they wished to take formal action.

The vote followed an extended public-comment period in which residents, township trustees and labor representatives spoke for and against the restrictions. Jeff Strang, who identified himself as a local resident and retired teacher, urged the board to keep options open for renewable manufacturing and jobs and said Richland County had advantages for wind and solar: \"We have the manufacturing space. We have the know how, and we have an exit waiting to happen,\" Strang said. Others, including township trustees and residents, raised concerns about farmland loss, property values and local notice for township-level deliberations.

Why it matters: the resolution concentrates authority at the county level only for those townships that asked for the restriction. Commissioners framed the vote as deferring to local township trustees who formally asked county hall to act. The result will change where large-scale renewable-energy projects can be sited in unincorporated parts of the county unless townships later rescind their resolutions.

Key facts and what the vote does: the board said 11 townships asked the county to prohibit large wind and solar and that seven townships either declined to take formal action or explicitly declined to request a prohibition. Commissioners read the list on the record: townships included in the prohibition were listed as Plymouth, Blooming Grove, Sharon, Jackson, Franklin, Weller, Mifflin, Troy, Monroe, Perry and Jefferson. Townships that declined were Worthington, Washington, Addison, Springfield, Sandusky, Butler and Cass. The county reported there are 18 townships in total.

Scope and definitions cited at the meeting: county counsel and staff said the statutory thresholds define \"large\" projects; the board and county attorney said that, under state statute, a large solar facility is generally the 50-megawatt threshold and that \"economically significant\" wind and large wind have separate statutory thresholds (commission staff cited wind thresholds in the 5–50 megawatt and 50+ megawatt ranges while explaining the difference). Andrew, county counsel, summarized: \"For solar, it's only 50 and above. Now wind is different ... economically significant wind is between 5 and 50 megawatts, and large wind is 50 megawatts or bigger.\"

Discussion versus decision: commissioners explicitly separated public comment and trustee requests from formal action. Commissioner Vero said the board would follow the stated wishes of townships that asked for prohibition and would not act where trustees did not ask for it. He also told the public the county could revisit any prohibition: \"If we go out and fill up these townships with amazing solar projects that bring clean energy, labor, and we can do more, I am 100% willing to revisit and rescind a prohibition in the township,\" Vero said. Several speakers urged a case-by-case approach and said a prohibition could deter future investment; others argued the restriction protects farmland and property values.

Implementation and next steps: commissioners recorded the vote to adopt the resolution and asked county staff to record which townships were included. Commissioners and county counsel noted that a township may later amend or rescind its own resolution and that the commissioners’ action could be revisited if trustees request a change and follow the statutory process.

Who spoke about this at the meeting: residents including Jeff Strang, Annette McCormick and Crystal Davis Weese; township trustees including Adam Schrader (Sharon Township), Mike Keith (Franklin Township) and Dan Gorbert (Sandusky Township); representatives of labor including an IBW Local 688 speaker; county staff including Daryl (county staff) and Andrew (county attorney); and Commissioner Tony Vero. Many other residents and trustees offered public comments during the hearing.

What the resolution does not do: commissioners and staff repeatedly clarified the action does not affect municipal (city or village) limits within townships. The county said the prohibition applies only to unincorporated areas; municipalities remain able to regulate projects within their corporate limits. County speakers also emphasized the resolution does not affect small residential solar installations or other non-utility residential uses.

Outlook and caveats: commissioners said the ban only applies in specified unincorporated township areas and that the county had not yet seen any large wind or solar projects proposed since the statute changed in 2021. Several trustees and residents asked for clearer notice and greater outreach in townships before such actions are taken; some trustees said they had held public hearings or received constituent input before acting. The board recorded the resolution as approved and recessed after the vote.","The Richland County Board of Commissioners voted July 17 to adopt a resolution declaring portions of unincorporated Richland County restricted areas that prohibit construction of “economically significant” wind farms, large wind farms and large solar facilities in townships that requested the prohibition.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6166844,"Commissioners launch formal process for county depository after Mechanics Bank raises concerns",1200,3720000,4920000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5414120-159127f32893f2fc54538f4e88e20e5f&start=3720&end=4920","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5414120-159127f32893f2fc54538f4e88e20e5f/thumbnail_3720000.jpg","/articles/6166844/Richland-County/Ohio/Commissioners-launch-formal-process-for-county-depository-after-Mechanics-Bank-raises-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6166844-4c15035816edc514d41ee49ae7bdaee3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771191050&Signature=hCBqZIvphiueuxyhAJ5Bk1c2QWKnhjDfYMN4G~Kxq~D875mk6a2r-IVddKYAHcA~PLHC8g2uoQ8-~BSA22wpoSqyh39OAefWqiTLHInuYofu5A20lOFnFKbn8gJgUVIFky4YetwZKogl7wdZNZrpgeunFBUEpVHlsegSWuJQB5G8MsCwioEQoQoQfzUMQfR67Xz1sMRDUiXQGXFjqY~w28SAOyuBaHCiz748u~~TPt2jSbVuUVbheM7ReRcDGx97ghgpJXx7HuOyQbDDCL-t8zZqVo80byI3ph4ouf5~7dsj-KyJRiFB71t9HhawSPE29ErAPObwMSgnQFF9vrFc2g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Richland County Board of Commissioners voted July 17 to start a formal process to select the county depository after a local bank raised concerns that the treasurer's office had opened accounts with another institution without commissioners’ signatures.

Commissioner Tony Vero told the board that Mechanics Bank had sent a July 11 letter saying it had been in contact with the treasurer’s office and believed the county was preparing to move significant taxpayer funds to another financial institution. \"We received a letter from Mechanics Bank,\" Vero said. \"This was news to me, and we have not been provided deposit slips noting commissioners' signatures.\"

County counsel and staff said they reviewed the Ohio Revised Code provision that governs county depositories and found the statute (ORC 135.33) requires a competitive solicitation process and a commissioners’ resolution when selecting a depository. \"There's a code provision, and it's time to follow the process,\" Andrew, county counsel, said.

What commissioners did: the board approved sending a formal letter to the county treasurer’s office and the auditor asking for deposit slips and documentation of any new accounts, and to open the statutory process to solicit proposals from eligible local banks. The board convened to set a timetable and invited the treasurer and auditor to participate in a meeting to begin the selection process. Commissioners characterized the action as a procedural step: an effort to ensure the county follows state law when selecting or changing a depository.

Why it matters: the county’s depository holds active public funds and the legal framework in ORC 135.33 establishes a process to select an institution; commissioners said they learned about account openings indirectly from a bank’s letter and wanted formal documentation and a transparent competitive process.

What was said at the meeting: commissioners and staff told reporters Mechanics Bank contacted county leadership. \"They started drafting it July 11, but we didn't get it until a couple days ago,\" Vero said at the dais. He said deputy treasurer staff had been surprised by the inquiry and that the commissioners had asked the treasurer's office to provide deposit slips, dates and other documentation. The board approved the motion to send the letter and to open the statutory application process; commissioners voted to proceed.

Authority cited: county counsel referenced Ohio Revised Code Section 135.33 as the governing statute. Counsel explained the statute requires eligible financial institutions—typically those with a local office—to be invited to submit proposals and for the treasurer to make a recommendation to the commissioners; the commissioners then make the selection.

Next steps and transparency: commissioners asked staff to deliver the formal letter to the treasurer and auditor and said they would schedule a public process consistent with ORC 135.33. The board asked the treasurer to provide deposit slips and the dates the accounts were opened; county staff said they would follow up if the treasurer did not respond.

Who spoke: Commissioner Tony Vero led the discussion; Andrew (county attorney) provided the statutory interpretation; Mechanics Bank was cited as the letter sender but did not appear at the meeting; the treasurer did not attend the session. Commissioners said they would invite the treasurer and auditor to a meeting to review the depository-selection process.

Context and caveats: commissioners emphasized the step was procedural to ensure compliance with state law, not a presumption of wrongdoing. The board said it would seek a full explanation and documentation from the treasurer’s office and pursue the statutory solicitation process for any change in depository services.","After receiving a letter from Mechanics Bank saying county funds appeared to be moving to another bank, commissioners approved a motion to invite a competitive application process under Ohio law and send a formal letter to the treasurer and auditor asking for deposit documentation.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

County department heads report personnel, IT and facilities updates; commissioners approve several contracts and hires

Richland County commissioners approve resolution restricting large wind and solar in 11 unincorporated townships

Commissioners launch formal process for county depository after Mechanics Bank raises concerns