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Portage County commissioners approve series of contracts, leases and budget transfers
Summary
At its Jan. 23 meeting the Portage County Board of Commissioners approved a package of contracts, a real-estate lease, multiple budget transfers and grant acceptances, all by roll-call votes. Actions included agreements with consulting and design firms, a collective bargaining agreement for deputy sheriffs, and acceptance of 2024 CDBG funds.
PORTAGE COUNTY, Ohio — The Portage County Board of Commissioners approved a slate of contracts, budget transfers and grant acceptances during its Jan. 23, 2025 meeting, taking unanimous roll-call votes on each item presented.
The board approved professional and consulting contracts including on-call consulting services with EMH&T for the Portage County stormwater district, a second amendment to an agreement with Youth Dynamics Inc., and professional design services with GPD Group for the Newton Falls Road bridge replacement project. The board also authorized an agreement for damage-assessment software with the Portage County Emergency Management Agency and Futurity IT Inc., and accepted a proposal from Oak Group Inc. (Charles Scribe dba Oak Group Inc.) for Master Plan services.
Other actions included: approval of a real estate lease for 100 East Main Street (Suites A, D and E) in Ravenna; a collective bargaining agreement between the county and the Fraternal Order of Police, Ohio Labor Council, covering deputy sheriffs; and a donation of obsolete county cell phones to a victim advocacy agency. The board also accepted 2024 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds from the Ohio Department of Development Office of Community Infrastructure and signed multiple county correspondences and project acceptance letters as presented by county staff.
The meeting record shows motions were made and passed by roll call, with Commissioners recorded as voting "yes": Sabrina; Jill; and Mike (identified elsewhere in the record as Commissioner Mike Tillman). Where applicable, the clerk conducted roll-call votes for each motion and each vote passed unanimously.
Budget and finance items approved included processing the Jan. 16, 2025 ACH and wire payments contingent on auditor verification, multiple fund transfers (for example, transfers involving Child Support Administration, Public Assistance Fund, and general fund to multipurpose rehab funds), and specific transfers to implement an Ohio EPA community litter grant for Solid Waste administration.
The board signed county engineering and development actions, including a release of a $160,640.70 roadway maintenance bond (issued by Hartford Fire Insurance Company) at the county engineer's recommendation, and accepted a Streetsboro sewer relocation project as complete subject to a one-year workmanship guarantee. The commissioners also signed a January 23, 2025 correspondence from Christian Collinger at the State Historic Preservation Office concerning exempt activities as presented by the Portage County Regional Planning Commission and authorized related findings of exemption for a Streetsboro public-service project.
Quotes from the meeting record focused on procedural items and staff thanks. A clerk read motions, and several commissioners publicly thanked county staff for addressing questions and preparing materials for the agenda. No items in the record show a failed motion or recorded dissent on the voted items.
Votes at a glance - Approve Jan. 16, 2025 regular meeting minutes — Outcome: approved (Sabrina: yes; Jill: yes; Mike: yes). - Accept proposal of EMH&T for on-call stormwater consulting — Outcome: approved (Sabrina: yes; Jill: yes; Mike: yes). - Authorize second amendment with Youth Dynamics Inc. — Outcome: approved (Sabrina: yes; Jill: yes; Mike: yes). - Contract with GPD Group for Newton Falls Road bridge design — Outcome: approved (Sabrina: yes; Jill: yes; Mike: yes). - Damage-assessment software agreement with Futurity IT Inc. (for Emergency Management) — Outcome: approved (Sabrina: yes; Jill: yes; Mike: yes). - Declare obsolete and donate various old cell phones to a victim advocacy agency — Outcome: approved (Sabrina: yes; Jill: yes; Mike: yes). - Master Plan services agreement with Charles Scribe dba Oak Group Inc. — Outcome: approved (Sabrina: yes; Jill: yes; Mike: yes). - Enter real estate lease agreement for 100 E. Main St., Ravenna (Suites A, D, E) — Outcome: approved (Sabrina: yes; Jill: yes; Mike: yes). - Collective bargaining agreement with Fraternal Order of Police, Ohio Labor Council (deputy sheriffs) — Outcome: approved (Sabrina: yes; Jill: yes; Mike: yes). - Accept Ohio Department of Development Office of Community Infrastructure 2024 CDBG funds — Outcome: approved (Sabrina: yes; Jill: yes; Mike: yes). - Multiple budget transfers, processing payments and amendments as presented by the Department of Budget and Financial Management — Outcome: approved (roll calls recorded on each transfer). - Release of roadway maintenance bond (Hartford Fire Insurance Co.) for $160,640.70 — Outcome: approved (Sabrina: yes; Jill: yes; Mike: yes). - Acceptance of Streetsboro public-service sewer relocation project as complete (subject to one-year guarantee) — Outcome: approved (Sabrina: yes; Jill: yes; Mike: yes).
Context and next steps The approved contracts and transfers authorize staff to finalize agreements, process payments and implement the accepted projects. Several items required subsequent administrative steps (for example, executing contracts, confirming fund transfers with the auditor, and completing lease paperwork). The record shows staff expected to proceed with execution after roll-call approval.
Ending The board recessed for lunch and later reconvened; the meeting adjourned following public comment and routine closing motions.
