Delaware County commissioners approve routine measures, authorize veteran services procurement card, farmland easements and sewer grant application

Delaware County Board of Commissioners President Barb Lewis and Commissioner Gary Merrill voted April 24 to approve a package of routine resolutions and several substantive items including a procurement card for the veteran services office, participation in the Ohio local agricultural easement purchase program and a $375,000 congressional grant application for a sewer rehabilitation project.

The actions matter because they authorize spending, permit staff to complete transactions that affect farmland conservation and county veteran outreach, and seek federal funds for local infrastructure.

Most-important actions and votes at a glance

- Resolution 25-290 — Approve electronic record of proceedings for the April 21, 2025 meeting: approved (Lewis Aye, Merrill Aye; Commissioner Benton absent). - Resolution 25-291 — Approve purchase orders, blanket certificates and warrants (batch CMAPR0423): approved (Lewis Aye, Merrill Aye; Benton absent). - Resolution 25-292 — Approve travel expense requests: approved (Lewis Aye, Merrill Aye; Benton absent). - Resolution 25-293 — Authorize use of a procurement card for the veteran services department (linked to a promotion): approved (Lewis Aye, Merrill Aye; Benton absent). - Resolution 25-294 — Authorize the county administrator to execute documents to close an agricultural easement (Legitimate Farm Easement 2022, Local Agricultural Easement Purchase Program): approved (Lewis Aye, Merrill Aye; Benton absent). - Resolution 25-295 — Authorize participation in the Ohio local agricultural easement purchase program for properties associated with Robert J. Sherman (trustee) and Kenneth Mark Tosi and Philip Ryan Tosi: approved (Lewis Aye, Merrill Aye; Benton absent). - Resolution 25-296 — Approve a supplemental appropriation to increase appropriations for the alternative dispute resolution fund (to hire mediators): approved (Lewis Aye, Merrill Aye; Benton absent). - Resolution 25-297 — Authorize submission of a FY2026 congressional community grant application (Gulf Village Sewer Rehab Project), $375,000: approved (Lewis Aye, Merrill Aye; Benton absent). - Resolution 25-298 — Adjourn into executive session (compensation and pending or imminent litigation): approved (Lewis Aye, Merrill Aye; Benton absent).

Veteran services procurement card and promotion

Brian Gallagher of the Delaware County veteran services office explained that the procurement card accompanies a personnel change in the office and the department’s reorganization. The board noted the change follows a promotion of Bill Polarsik into a managerial role. "I've been there for 3 years, and we've made some changes in the position I was in. With new leadership comes more changes, and I think we're going to accelerate the trajectory of the veteran services to provide more outreach to the community and to attract all veterans, even the ones that fall through the cracks," Polarsik said.

Gallagher described the card as a replacement aligned with the promotion and said Polarsik will be the point of contact when Gallagher is absent. The board voted to authorize the procurement card as part of Resolution 25-293.

Farmland easements and Clean Ohio funding

Scott Stevens, administrator for the local conservation district, reviewed two pending applications to the Ohio Local Agricultural Easement Purchase Program, which the board serves as local sponsor for in partnership with the state Department of Agriculture. Stevens said one application (the Tosi family) would be roughly 54 acres and the Sherman application would be about 60 acres, both adjacent to existing enrolled parcels. He advised the program is funded from the Clean Ohio funds and said the county’s local sponsor allocation for the year is about $140,000.

Stevens described the process and timeline: the state typically announces awards in June or July, the state reviews local scoring and then, if authorized, the county proceeds to title work and closing. He said the title review is thorough and that closings generally require an extended process — about 18 months with a 90-year lookback on title searches to ensure clear title. The board voted to authorize the administrator to execute closing documents (Resolution 25-294) and to approve participation for the named parcels (Resolution 25-295).

Supplemental appropriation for alternative dispute resolution

Kristen Schultz, identified as appearing from the general division, requested an increase in appropriations for the court’s alternative dispute resolution fund to pay mediators for civil cases. The board approved the supplemental appropriation under Resolution 25-296.

Gulf Village sewer grant application

Justin Nabi, director of finance, asked the board to authorize submission of a FY2026 congressional community grant application through U.S. Rep. Troy Balderson’s office for the Gulf Village Sewer Rehabilitation Project in the amount of $375,000. The board voted to authorize the application (Resolution 25-297).

Administrative items and next steps

Multiple routine items were approved with minimal discussion, including approval of bills/warrants, travel expenses and the electronic record of the April 21 meeting (Resolutions 25-290, 25-291, 25-292). The board then approved an adjournment into executive session for discussions of public-employee compensation and pending or imminent litigation (Resolution 25-298).

The board noted there is no public comment on the record for this meeting. Commissioner Benton was recorded as absent for the votes listed above.

Ending

Commissioners scheduled follow-up work to complete state-required steps for the agricultural easement applications and to proceed with title work if the state authorizes offers. No implementation deadlines for the easement closings were set at the meeting; Scott Stevens said closings could occur within roughly 90 days in some cases but cautioned the full title and closing process typically takes longer.