Warren, Ohio — The Trumbull County Board of Commissioners reorganized on Jan. 6, 2025, electing Commissioner Rick Hernandez president and Commissioner Denny Malloy vice president, adopting Robert’s Rules of Order for meetings and approving a set of routine administrative and financial resolutions for 2025.

The reorganization meeting, held at the Trumbull County Administration Building, also set the county’s regular meeting schedule, approved a required payment to the Ohio Department of Health for the county’s Children with Medical Handicaps program and authorized a multi‑year consulting agreement for the county’s indirect cost allocation plan.

Why it matters: The leadership and administrative rules adopted on the first business day of the year set the board’s meeting cadence and internal procedures for 2025 and include fiscal approvals the county is legally required to make.

Commissioner Rick Hernandez was nominated and elected president of the board by voice vote. Commissioner Denny Malloy was nominated and elected vice president to serve as chair when the president is unavailable. The board voted unanimously on both positions. After his election, Commissioner Hernandez said, "it's a pleasure and an honor and, to be elected president of this board. Thank you." Commissioner Tony Bernard, who moved the nomination, told the meeting, "I pledge and promise that they're gonna see progress in Trumbull County."

The board adopted Robert’s Rules of Order as the official meeting guidelines for one year effective immediately, and set regular meeting times: weekly work sessions Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. and regular meetings Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m., with specified adjustments if legal holidays fall earlier in the week.

The board adopted a public‑meeting notification resolution pursuant to Ohio Revised Code section 121.22 that requires posting a schedule of regular meetings on the commissioners’ website and in the Commissioners’ Showcase on the 5th floor of the Administration Building; it also set procedures for special meeting notices, emergency notifications and an enrollment deadline for written media notification requests (January 31, 2025).

On financial and administrative items, the board unanimously approved:
- A renewal of an existing county resolution (originally adopted March 9, 1995) authorizing credit cards in the county’s name for designated offices and exempting those purchases from the advanced estimate requirement for the 2025 renewal period.
- Adoption of a 2025 optional standard mileage rate of 70¢ per mile pursuant to IRS guidance.
- Payment of membership dues: $13,776 to the County Commissioners Association of Ohio and $4,040 to the National Association of Counties for calendar year 2025.
- The fiscal year 2024 ending appropriation resolution for all funds.

The board approved a mandated payment to the Ohio Department of Health for the 2025 Children with Medical Handicaps program in the amount of $483,332.81, which the clerk said equals one‑tenth of one mill of the county’s total property tax valuation, pursuant to Ohio Revised Code section 3701.0231.

The board also approved a professional consulting services agreement with Maximus Consulting Services Inc. to perform the county’s indirect cost allocation plan update and implementation for 2024–2026. The board authorized the agreement effective Jan. 1, 2024, through March 30, 2028, with total compensation of $45,750 to be paid $15,250 per year; the board authorized Commissioner Hernandez to execute the agreement on behalf of the county.

On economic development administration, the board designated the Trumbull County Planning Commission as the County Office of Economic Development for the calendar year 2025 under ORC section 307.07 and designated Nicholas (Nick) Coggins, assistant director of the Planning Commission, as the county’s enterprise zone manager.

Other routine items approved without substantive debate included: continuing the county’s sellers agreement with GovDeals Inc.; adopting a formal resolution of intent to conduct an internet auction for unneeded county property pursuant to ORC section 307.12; authorizing solicitation for statements of qualifications from professional design firms for projects with estimated fees under $50,000 (per ORC section 153.68); approving a slate of staff travel and training authorizations for multiple departments (planning, coroner, 911, workforce development, human resources, job and family services, transit, building standards, recorder); and notifying the Ohio Department of Liquor Control that the board would not request public hearings on listed liquor permit applications including a Chuck E. Cheese location in Holland Township and others.

During public comment, Marley Campbell, identified herself as a Trumbull County resident and welcomed the newly seated commissioners. There were no other public commenters who spoke to agenda items.

Ending: The board said department heads and elected officials were invited to meet the new board at upcoming workshops and meetings; the board adjourned after confirming the schedule for the next workshop Jan. 7 and the next regular meeting Jan. 8, 2025.

Votes at a glance (agenda items 1–32): all motions listed on the Jan. 6 agenda carried with recorded aye votes by Commissioners Rick Hernandez, Denny Malloy and Tony Bernard unless otherwise noted in the transcript.

Key items approved (selected):
- Item 1 — Election of president: Rick Hernandez elected president (unanimous).
- Item 2 — Election of vice president: Denny Malloy elected vice president (unanimous).
- Item 3 — Adopt Robert’s Rules of Order for one year (unanimous).
- Item 4 — Set regular meeting day/time (weekly Wednesdays 10:30 a.m.; work sessions Tuesdays 10:30 a.m.) (unanimous).
- Item 5 — Adopt public meeting notification resolution under ORC 121.22 (unanimous).
- Item 7 — Renew county credit card resolution (2025 renewal) (unanimous).
- Item 9 — Set mileage rate at 70¢ per mile for 2025 (unanimous).
- Item 11 — Authorize $13,776 membership dues to County Commissioners Association of Ohio (unanimous).
- Item 12 — Authorize $4,040 membership dues to National Association of Counties (unanimous).
- Item 13 — Approve ending appropriation resolution for FY2024 (unanimous).
- Item 14 — Authorize mandated payment $483,332.81 to Ohio Department of Health for Children with Medical Handicaps program under ORC 3701.0231 (unanimous).
- Item 15 — Approve professional services agreement with Maximus Consulting Services Inc., total $45,750 ($15,250 annually), term beginning Jan. 1, 2024 through March 30, 2028; authorized president to execute (unanimous).
- Item 16 — Designate Trumbull County Planning Commission as County Office of Economic Development for 2025 (unanimous).
- Item 17 — Designate Nick Coggins as enterprise zone manager (unanimous).
- Item 29–30 — Continue GovDeals sellers agreement and adopt resolution of intent to conduct internet auction under ORC 307.12 (unanimous).
- Item 32 — Approve withdrawal of annexation petition by Life Storage LP for parcel in Holland Township (unanimous).

(Full agenda items 1–32 were approved by recorded aye votes in the transcript. Where motions and seconds were not named explicitly in the record, the motions were called, seconded and approved as noted in meeting minutes.)