Morrow County commissioners on Dec. 30 closed out 2024 by recording a bond closing for a new gas-line project, approving an award and related contracts for an airport fuel farm, adopting budget amendments for fiscal 2025 and approving the county 911 plan before adjourning.

The board heard from Speaker 5 that "the bond closed today, it's 6 and a half $1,000,000" and later clarified in discussion that roughly $6,800,000 was deposited into a dedicated account for the gas-line public–private partnership with Consolidated Cooperative. Speaker 5 said a premium of about $300,000 accompanied the closing and that the funds will be transferred to a new Star Ohio account set aside for the project. The board was told Consolidated purchased the pipe and will request an upfront draw for materials, with monthly draws thereafter; project completion was described as realistically expected by October or November 2025.

The meeting also moved forward the airport fuel-farm installation. The board approved awarding the airport fuel-farm contract to CW Mechanical and Plumbing and approved a consulting agreement with Crawford, Murphy, Murphy and Tilley Incorporated for engineering services. Speaker 5 said the project would provide two types of fuel at the local airport and estimated tanks could arrive about a year after award, making construction more likely in 2026. The transcript records that two bids were received. A numeric award figure read during the meeting was unclear in the transcript and is not specified here.

Commissioners approved amendments to resolution 24 a 192, the county's fiscal year 2025 appropriations, after staff noted missing line items and a corrected formula. The board also approved the county 911 plan; Speaker 2 remarked that "the sheriff took it over on the 22nd December" in reference to 911 operations. Several speakers offered public thanks to county employees and noted that the hospital transition off county oversight to OhioHealth was an important development for the year.

Procedural motions to approve minutes, payments and agreements were moved, seconded and carried on roll calls during the session. Roll-call names that appear in the transcript when votes were called include Abraham, Sigfried (transcript variants: Siegfried/Sigtry), Mason, Bacon and others; the recorded responses in the meeting were affirmative for the motions presented.

The board briefly recessed and returned to regular session before the bond and project updates. After wrapping up business and listing top capital projects for 2025 (the county garage, the jail and other facility work), Speaker 1 moved to close out 2024; the motion was seconded and the board voted to adjourn.

Next steps: county staff will move the gas-line bond proceeds into the project's designated account and expect draw requests from Consolidated; contractors and engineers will continue project planning for the airport fuel-farm. No ordinance readings or contested votes were recorded in the transcript; items passed in the meeting were approved by roll call. The board will reconvene in 2025 for routine business and project oversight.