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Morrow County commissioners approve budget moves, mental‑health MOU and EPA nominations; resident raises fire and camping concerns
Summary
At its Sept. 17 meeting, the Morrow County Board of Commissioners approved several fund transfers and an amended appropriation, authorized an MOU for a specialized docket subsidy, and approved Ohio EPA nomination forms for four wastewater projects. A resident raised safety concerns about an encampment and open fires in a county reserve.
The Morrow County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 17 approved a set of budget transfers and an amended appropriation, authorized a memorandum of understanding for a specialized-court docket subsidy and authorized the director of operations to sign Ohio EPA nomination forms for four wastewater projects. During public comment a resident asked county officials to investigate an informal campsite and open fire risks at a local reserve.
The board unanimously approved routine items including minutes from the regular session of Sept. 17, 2025, and payment of listed bills. Commissioners Mason, Abraham and Siegfried voted yes on those motions.
Why it matters: the financial moves and project nominations affect near-term county operations and capital projects, and the specialized-docket MOU channels mental‑health resources into a court program that the board authorized the county to sign.
Budget and transfers The board considered and temporarily tabled an appropriation of unappropriated certified moneys for the general fund juvenile housing account during the morning session. Later in the meeting the board removed the item from the table, amended the appropriation to $100,000 and approved it. Commissioners Mason, Abraham and Siegfried voted yes on the final $100,000 appropriation.
County staff explained the changes in other lines of the budget. A staff member said the wages line in question was intended for retirement payouts rather than regular wages and that facility-services costs were higher than expected after a pipe burst earlier in the year; insurance reimbursements had been received but the funds still needed to be moved into the appropriate budget line.
The board also approved transfers to the engineer’s fund and a transfer to the Monroe County Board of DDC fund. These transfers were called and approved by voice vote with Mason, Abraham and Siegfried recorded as yes.
Mental-health court MOU The board voted to approve a memorandum of understanding between the Delaware‑Morrow Mental Health & Recovery Services Board and the Court of Common Pleas, Morrow County, Ohio, for a specialized docket subsidy project described in the meeting as fiscal year 02/1926, and authorized the chairman to sign the MOU. The motion passed on a unanimous voice vote by the three recorded commissioners.
Ohio EPA project nominations The board authorized Jamie Brooker, director of operations, to sign Ohio EPA nomination forms for four projects the county is seeking to advance to phase 2. Brooker said the nominations cover lift stations, standby power, and various sanitary‑sewer and treatment system work, including the Chesterville wastewater treatment plant. Commissioners voted to approve the delegation of signature authority; Mason, Abraham and Siegfried voted yes.
Operations and facilities updates Director of operations Jamie Brooker told the board the county’s surplus auction is scheduled for Sept. 29 at 417 W. Marion Road and that 16 vehicles and other surplus items will be offered. Brooker also said renovations to former health‑district space in the Community Service Building are on track to begin the following week to create roughly 4,000–5,000 square feet of updated space and to prepare for relocating the Board of Elections. Brooker described coordination needed with the state for server moves and said county IT would handle networking, while the state would move the elections server.
Public comment: fire risk and camping at county reserve During public comment a resident reported repeated instances of people camping at “the hill, by the reserve,” including an informal fire ring and grilling in dry woods. The resident said they had filed noise complaints and had a police report from July; they also said some newcomers were leaving trash and cigarette butts.
“I've got pictures. He's got a grill, and he's also got a fire ring,” the resident said. The board suggested the resident check with the local fire chief and noted that a burn ban could limit open fires on county property. Commissioners acknowledged the cleanup work volunteers had done at the site and said staff would look into options for follow up.
Other business The board received updates on community-service quarterly‑meeting proposals and related outreach; members said attendees viewed reduced meeting frequency favorably and that email updates could fill gaps in off months. Brooker estimated the renovation work could take about four to eight weeks depending on materials, with some standard items possibly shortening the schedule.
The board recessed and later reconvened to continue business and then adjourned at the end of the meeting.
Ending note: the board handled multiple administrative approvals that enable infrastructure nominations and facility work to proceed while a public comment raised a safety concern that county staff said they would pursue with local fire and law‑enforcement partners.
