Commissioners said Route 2 lighting remains among the county's most pressing resident complaints and discussed next steps to secure a timeline and funding.

One commissioner said the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) continues to assert the responsibility for the lights rests with the county engineer's office, and called for the commission to take a leadership role in convening mayors, city managers and other stakeholders. The commissioner urged pursuing an identified grant opportunity through NOPEC and recommended planning a joint stakeholder meeting to prepare a grant application for the next funding window.

"We need to be first in line for that next tranche," the commissioner said, calling the issue a matter of safety and urging a visible commitment to municipal partners that the project will be completed.

County Administrator Jason Boyd said he met with County Engineer Eckstley and discussed convening a meeting of partners and improving communications with mayors and managers. "We talked about getting the meeting together collectively, improving or developing relationships with the mayors," Boyd said, and offered to assist the engineer's office in organizing the stakeholder meeting.

Commissioners recorded no formal vote on Route 2 lighting during the meeting; the discussion was listed under old business and resulted in agreement to pursue a stakeholder meeting and to explore the NOPEC grant opportunity. The county administrator and the engineer's office will continue planning and outreach.