Knox County Commissioners held their annual organizational meeting on Jan. 6 and approved leadership appointments, several staff reappointments and multiple county contracts.

The board appointed Bill Persil president and Barry Lester vice president for 2026 and approved committee assignments and the standard designation of the board president and vice president as the county's delegates to the County Commissioners Association. The board also reappointed Penny Doyle as clerk and executive assistant and approved Robin Santo as deputy clerk.

Commissioners reappointed Courtney Lauer, director of Knox County Human Resources, as the county Americans with Disabilities coordinator and as the county's equal employment opportunity officer for 2026. Andrew Champlin was reappointed as the county's public information officer, and Eric Simpson was reappointed as the Knox County Apiary Inspector. In addition, commissioners assigned authority to William Scaffoon, director of the Department of Job and Family Services, to approve intercounty agreements and allocated funds for 2026.

On county contracts, commissioners approved a three-year independent contractor agreement with the City of Mount Vernon for IT services, effective Feb. 1. The record specifies $180,000 for 2026; line-item references to later years appeared in the discussion but the later-year dollar amounts are not clearly specified in the transcript. Commissioners also approved a post-closure care contract with Bennett Williams Environmental Consultants Inc. for landfill monitoring; the first-half 2026 cost is listed as $34,100 and the contract requires the signature of an authorized official.

The board approved a utility permit for Morgan Center Road in Morgan Township and granted a new permit for the Rock Bottom Bar on Wooster Road after commissioners indicated they did not require a hearing. Commissioners also approved publication of the board's 2026 meeting schedule on the county website and confirmed a practice of not meeting on Tuesdays that follow Monday holidays. An unnamed speaker noted, “The statute requires you to meet 54 times a year,” and staff observed the board met 98 times in 2025.

The county received the sheriff's meal report: the transcript records a per-meal cost of $1.34 for the referenced month and an annual per-meal figure of $1.90; the report lists 8,157 meals prepared in the referenced month and 89,803 meals for the year. The report also listed an average daily jail population of about 85.9 (roughly 86 inmates), with average counts noted of 14 females and 72 males.

All formal motions recorded in the meeting were approved by voice votes. The meeting included scheduling reminders (an early start the following Thursday for non-general fund budget work, two bid openings, and a field visit to review a road vacation) and brief project updates that included work on a planned transit/business center and anticipated courthouse elevator replacement in 2026. The meeting adjourned after commissioners exchanged New Year greetings.

Votes at a glance
- Appoint Bill Persil as board president for 2026 — Motion approved by voice; yes: 3, no: 0, abstain: 0 (vote recorded verbally)
- Appoint Barry Lester as vice president for 2026 — Motion approved by voice; yes: 3, no: 0, abstain: 0
- Approve committee assignments and appointments — Motion approved by voice; yes: 3
- Designate association representative/alternate (standard president/vice) — Motion approved by voice; yes: 3
- Reappoint Penny Doyle as clerk/executive assistant — Motion approved by voice; yes: 3
- Appoint Robin Santo as deputy clerk — Motion approved by voice; yes: 3
- Reappoint Courtney Lauer as ADA coordinator and EEO officer — Motions approved by voice; yes: 3
- Reappoint Andrew Champlin as public information officer — Motion approved by voice; yes: 3
- Reappoint Eric Simpson as apiary inspector — Motion approved by voice; yes: 3
- Assign authority to William Scaffoon for intercounty agreements — Motion approved by voice; yes: 3
- Approve advertisement/publication of 2026 meeting dates (website) — Motion approved by voice; yes: 3
- Approve 3-year IT services agreement with City of Mount Vernon (effective Feb. 1) — Motion approved by voice; yes: 3; 2026 amount: $180,000; later-year amounts not clearly specified in transcript
- Approve Bennett Williams Environmental Consultants Inc. contract for landfill post-closure care — Motion approved by voice; yes: 3; first-half 2026: $34,100
- Approve utility permit for Morgan Center Road — Motion approved by voice; yes: 3
- Approve new permit for Rock Bottom Bar (Wooster Road) — Motion approved by voice; yes: 3

The board is scheduled to resume work Thursday with a 9 a.m. start for budget items and field visits; additional paperwork (signatures) was requested for a few reappointments and the apiarist paperwork to be forwarded to the State of Ohio.