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 $368,149.40; increase $31,258.60; revised amount $399,407.46 and a contract-time extension to address unforeseen utility conflicts and poor subgrade material); and approval to publish a combined notice of a Finding of No Significant Impact and Notice of Intent to Request Release of Funds for the Pendleton Gilmer sanitary sewer project under 24 CFR part 58.

The board approved a 4% base wage increase and a $0.10 longevity increase for nonbargaining employees in the Department of Job and Family Services and Child Support Division, with the meeting record stating those increases will be absorbed by federal and state funding. Commissioners also approved employment offers for six named candidates for the Department of Job and Family Services to begin Feb. 10, 2025, with a nine-month probationary period.

The commissioners authorized several routine administrative items: acceptance of mortgage satisfaction for James Johnson (a 1998 Trumbull County home program mortgage), two liquor-license applications for which the county will not request a hearing, appointment of the newly elected sheriff Mike Wilson to the 911 Program Review Board, and delegation of the Ohio Water Development Authority project representative role to Gary E. Neubrow, P.E., Trumbull County sanitary engineer, for 2025 OWDA-funded projects.

The board approved a reorganization within the commissioners’ office that moves Cheryl Taylor to purchasing administrator (nonbargaining), adjusts other clerical and payroll positions and — according to the agenda text — is expected to save the general fund an estimated $50,000. Commissioners discussed a possibly larger savings and called the estimate conservative.

Two agenda items authorized the county’s participation in opioid-litigation settlements. The board adopted a resolution authorizing Rick Hernandez to execute documents to accept and approve the settlement agreement with Target Corporation as defined in the opioid litigation. The board separately authorized execution of a subdivision/participation and release form for Trumbull County to participate in the Napoli Target settlement regarding the county’s claim pending in IN RE National Prescription Opioid Litigation (MDL number stated in the record as "28 4"). Both motions passed unanimously.

During the public comment period, commissioners also discussed the county’s aggregate electricity purchasing contract and recent rate increases. Commissioner Malloy (as recorded) explained the board solicited bids and re-signed with the existing aggregator at 7.90¢ per kilowatt-hour for a 14-month term, noting market rates and supplier eligibility constraints. Commissioners said the decision aimed to avoid customers defaulting back to FirstEnergy’s higher tariff.

Votes at a glance: the meeting record shows unanimous approval (three votes recorded as yes for each motion) for the motions described above, including: dispense with reading minutes and accept recordings (Item 1); approve bills (Item 2); appoint sheriff Mike Wilson to the 911 board (Item 3); authorize tax-exemption application filings (Item 4); authorize annual federal equitable sharing agreement filing by the prosecutor’s office (Item 5); receive and file dog-kennel reports (Item 6); approve wage-rate increase for specified nonbargaining employees in Job and Family Services (Item 7); approve six new hires for Job and Family Services (Item 8); satisfaction of mortgage for James Johnson (Item 9); adopt HMGP pre-application resolution (Item 10); adopt BRIC/FMA pre-application resolution (Item 11); authorize change order No. 1 to the Townsend Avenue project (Item 12); publish combined FONSI/NOI for Pendleton Gilmer sewer project and request release of funds (Item 13); delegate OWDA authorized representative to Gary E. Neubrow, P.E. (Item 14); notify Ohio Department of Liquor Control that no hearing is requested for two permits (Item 15); approve commissioners’ office reorganization (Item 16); accept AFSCME Local 2493 ratified collective-bargaining agreement (Item 19); approve updated nonunion salary schedule tied to the AFSCME settlement (Item 20); accept resignations and make appointments to the Senior Services Advisory Council (Items 25–30); approve promotion effective-date amendment (Item 30); authorize Target opioid settlement participation (Item 33); and authorize Napoli/Target settlement participation (Item 34).

The meeting record contains detailed motions, seconding and roll-call votes for each item. Where discussion occurred, the minutes record commissioners’ clarifications (for example, that wage increases for nonbargaining staff are being funded by federal and state sources and that the bargaining unit had not yet settled). Several items require further action outside the county (federal grant approvals, Ohio Department of Taxation filing, Ohio EMA/OWDA procedures and participation in multidistrict litigation settlements), and the minutes note those dependencies.

The board adjourned after returning from multiple executive-session periods recorded under provisions of the Ohio Revised Code (sections cited in the record as ORC 121.22 and subsections g(1), g(3) and g(4) for personnel and attorney conferences).