Committee extends Ritenour’s production contract two months; no increase in payment

The Warren County Occupancy Tax Coordination Committee on Feb. 27 approved a two-month extension of the county’s contract with Ritenour’s Performing Arts Company so the producer can finish postproduction on a county video series.

Committee staff said the extension is to allow finalization of the “Road TV” series and to amend the contract’s episode count from 11 to seven. “The total amount of the extension will not exceed the $15,002.50,” a staff member said during the meeting. The committee voted the extension carried after a motion.

Committee staff explained the extension affects the contract end date rather than the total payment. “This is the final payment of what he does. So the whole contract was for 34 and change…we have paid him out for the preproduction work. We paid him out for the production work. We now have outstanding the postproduction work which is what he's working on,” the staff member said, adding the extension would permit payment for completion.

Supervisors asked whether the extension added dollars or only time. A staff member answered that there is no change to the dollar amount and that expectations about the number of episodes were clarified: “The discussion on 11 came about from what he had done in prior counties, but his commitment was never for 11. It was always for 7.”

Votes at a glance: The committee first approved minutes from prior meetings by voice vote; later it approved the Ritenour contract extension. On the extension motion, Supervisor Runyon made the motion and Supervisor Hillegen seconded it; the chair called for the ayes and said, “Motion carried.” The meeting record did not include a roll-call tally.

The committee chair moved on to the next agenda item after the vote; staff did not report any further contractual amendments at the meeting.