Lorain County commissioners conducted their organizational business for 2026 during the first meeting of the year: electing leadership, adopting parliamentary rules, and adjusting public-comment procedures.

A motion to elect David Moore as board president for 2026 was made and approved by voice vote. Commissioners subsequently moved to elect Commissioner Marty Gallagher as vice president; that motion was also approved.

Under agenda item 3, the board adopted the 12th edition of Robert's Rules of Order as the county’s parliamentary authority for 2026. County staff noted a small, explicit change to the public-comment sign-in form: the county will ask speakers to provide an email address so staff can follow up when appropriate. Officials said they have used the contact information to respond to questions over the last year and that collecting email addresses will make follow-up more reliable.

Item 13 appointed the president and alternates to multiple county bodies (data processing board, board of revisions, health department board, solid waste policy committee, and Lorain County Beautiful). Commissioners added Todd Sharkey as an alternate for the data processing board and confirmed a slate of alternates so the county would have representation at an imminent 10 a.m. data board meeting.

Commissioners discussed the roles of alternates on board voting rights and noted that rights depend on each appointed board; for the planning commission appointment (Anne Hasko), the board confirmed alternate members may vote where applicable.