County commissioners approve routine minutes, agenda, bills and several contracts; appoint interim EMA director

The Board of County Commissioners met March 27, 2025, and approved a series of routine and project-related actions including approval of minutes, the meeting agenda, payment of bills, supplemental appropriations, an interim appointment in the Emergency Management Agency and several procurement awards.

Several procedural items were approved early in the session. Resolution 141 approved the minutes, Resolution 142 approved or amended the meeting agenda, and Resolution 143 authorized payment of bills; each motion was carried by roll call and recorded as "motion carried" in the transcript.

The board approved Resolution 144, a supplemental appropriations measure that the record shows was moved and seconded and passed via roll call. The transcript records affirmative roll-call responses during that vote.

By Resolution 145 the board appointed Heather Mercer as interim director for the county Emergency Management Agency (EMA). Mercer was sworn in at the meeting; the board noted the appointment is interim. The roll call for the motion is recorded in the transcript as affirmative and the motion carried.

The board awarded an HVAC contract for the Bridal Senior Center (Department of Aging Project 4 of 2025) by Resolution 146. Two bids were received; the transcript cites bids of $119,000 and $120,000 and a staff recommendation from Sarah Stubblefield, executive director for the Department of Aging, to award the contract to Starks Heating and Plumbing. The motion to accept the bid was moved and seconded and the roll call shows the motion carried.

The board also entered into a purchase agreement (Resolution 147) for a 2026 International tandem-axle truck submitted by the engineer’s office at a cost not to exceed $127,910.06. The motion was moved and carried as recorded in the minutes.

Other business included brief staff updates and a recess while a representative from the engineer’s office arrived. The meeting concluded with an executive session under Ohio Revised Code 121.22(G)(1) on employment; the board returned from executive session and announced no action taken before adjourning.

Votes at a glance - Resolution 141 — Approve minutes. Outcome: approved (motion carried). Provenance: meeting record. - Resolution 142 — Approve/amend agenda. Outcome: approved (motion carried). Provenance: meeting record. - Resolution 143 — Payment of bills. Outcome: approved (motion carried). Provenance: meeting record. - Resolution 144 — Supplemental appropriations (board of ED, court of common pleas juvenile division, sheriff’s office). Outcome: approved (roll call recorded). Provenance: transcript segment stamped near 501.62–516.125 seconds. - Resolution 145 — Appointment of Heather Mercer as interim EMA director (sworn in). Outcome: approved (roll call recorded); interim appointment. Provenance: transcript segment stamped near 550.56–639.86 seconds. - Resolution 146 — Accept and award bid for Department of Aging AC unit, Bridal Senior Center (Project 4 of 2025). Outcome: awarded to the recommended bidder (motion carried). Provenance: transcript segments near 794.27–910.38 seconds. - Resolution 147 — Purchase agreement for 2026 International tandem-axle truck (engineer’s office), cost not to exceed $127,910.06. Outcome: approved (motion carried). Provenance: transcript segments near 1080.67–1140.62 seconds.

The meeting adjourned after a brief executive session on employment under Ohio law; the transcript states the board came out of executive session with no action and then adjourned.