Trumbull County commissioners ratify AFSCME contract, approve opioid settlements and routine agenda items

Rick Hernandez, president of the Board of Trumbull County Commissioners, and fellow commissioners approved a package of routine and substantive actions on Jan. 15, 2025, including formal acceptance of a union contract for county employees, authorization to participate in opioid-litigation settlements, requests for federal hazard-mitigation and BRIC/FMA grants, contract change orders, personnel appointments and wage adjustments.

The approvals included the board’s acceptance of a ratified collective-bargaining agreement with AFSCME Local 2493 covering commissioners’, treasurer’s and clerk-of-courts staff; the board’s authorization to join two opioid settlements described in the meeting record; and several infrastructure and personnel items requiring federal grant pre-applications, change orders and hiring authorizations.

The AFSCME contract ratification was moved and approved after the board returned from executive session. "On behalf of 2493, we would like to thank the commissioners for voting yes on our new contract," said Bridal Flanagan, president of AFSCME Local 2493, during public comment. Hernandez thanked county staff for negotiating the agreement, singling out Clemens Nelson and HR staff members.

Other key approvals included: adoption of resolutions to allow the Trumbull County Planning Commission to prepare and submit Ohio EMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) and Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) and Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) pre-applications for parcel ID 46053240 in Champion Township (each pre-application listed $286,350); authorization for change order No. 1 to the Townsend Avenue Storm Drainage Infrastructure Improvements contract (original contract…