Commission approves security screening agreement, road contracts, bids and appointments

Franklin County commissioners approved a series of routine but substantive items at the meeting, including an on-site service agreement for security screening equipment at the Franklin County Judicial Center, road contracts and bids, fund disbursement to the city of Washington, board appointments and a notice of public hearing on proposed 2025 property tax rates.

The commission approved commission order 2025-225 to accept an on-site service agreement with Smith Detection (security screening equipment) for the judicial center; during discussion a $6,000 figure was mentioned in relation to the scanner coming into the courts. Commissioners voted unanimously.

The commission also approved commission order 2025-226, authorizing execution of contract and bond with NB West Contracting for construction of the Little Indian Creek Road low-water crossing replacement. Commissioners confirmed the project will use county funds.

Commission order 2025-228 awarded the hot-mix overlay contract to NB West; the county received three bids and NB West was the low bidder, the commission said. Commissioners approved commission order 2025-227 authorizing disbursement of special road and bridge funds to the City of Washington based on receipts submitted by the city.

On appointments, the commission approved commission order 2025-229 reappointing Linda Sintivony and Paul Levine and appointing Mark Hagen to the county SB 40 resource board. The commission approved commission order 2025-230 appointing Sarah Skeen as the representative and David Blankenship as the alternate to the Franklin County Transportation Committee in New Haven.

The commission also approved notice of public hearing on proposed 2025 property tax rates (commission order 2025-232). A commissioner noted some calculated rates have decreased and said that was a positive direction for taxpayers.

On the consent agenda (commission order 2025-233), the commission accepted the Building Department monthly report and recorder of deeds remote-search fees. Commissioners questioned an item described as a computer service fee; staff explained the recorder of deeds offers a remote public-search service and the listed fees reflect revenue collected for that service. One line item discussed in the consent packet was $11,907 for remote search fees for a single month, which staff confirmed was money coming into the county.

In departmental reports, a department head identified as Jim reported on the county’s participation in Operation Clean Stream, noting the county supplied three dump trucks for a river cleanup organized by the Gerald Lions Club and transported tires to a landfill in Washington County. Jim said the cleanup covered roughly 9 to 12 miles of river and that the civic partnership filled "three tandems with tires." The commission presented service recognition certificates to county employees: Kimberly Moritz, Sheriff's Office, 10 years of service; Deputy Eric Frewer Worth, Sheriff's Office, 20 years; Pete Zimmerman, Highway Department, 20 years; and April Zimmerman, Health Department, five years.

All motions on these items carried on voice votes recorded as "Aye."