Ross County officials approve $1.5 million in weekly bills, transfer liquor license and adopt resolution on Pleasant Valley Road

Ross County officials met Jan. 27 and approved more than $1.5 million in weekly bills, transferred a retail liquor license and took a series of routine administrative actions, including adopting a resolution to inquire about state-owned land on Pleasant Valley Road.

The meeting opened with acknowledgments from Speaker 1 thanking city, county, township and ODOT crews and private contractors for clearing roads after recent weather. The board then approved a motion to accept the previous meeting’s minutes and moved through the consent items by voice vote.

Speaker 1 presented the week’s bills at $1,513,660.38, including $959,865 for planning and $47,205 for engineering; a $187,337.30 entry was recorded for a Veil Cell alteration project. Speaker 2 noted completion of interior walls at the county jail during the discussion of capital items. The bills were approved after a motion and a voice vote.

On appropriation items, the board approved a transfer of $7,887.59 from marriage license revenues to Community Action to support domestic violence services. Speaker 2 explained that Community Action has assumed responsibility for domestic violence services for nearby Fayette County and that funding for those services will come from Community Action or Fayette County; Ross County staff will manage local operations.

Other approvals included an asset-disposal form for a Brother HL22140 printer in the adult probation office and a certificate of tax exemption for communications services related to the juvenile court’s fiber account.

The board approved a transfer of a retail liquor license to Cross Creek Petroleum for premises listed as 2994 US Route 50, moved from Neil’s Pit Stop at 122 Old Vandermark Road in Sydney, Ohio. Speaker 2 queried the business name and location during the discussion before the transfer carried by voice vote.

Members approved a contract amendment for the Chauncey Streetscape Project, increasing architect/design services by $7,500 and noting the contract cap as $195,500. The board also approved an amendment related to the Bainbridge GRAMA agreement after staff said additional project funding was received from a state department (specific spoke numbers in the transcript were unclear). A change order adding veteran downspout removal and tree removal to a project was presented as having no expense to the county and listed an amount of $4,500; that change order was approved.

Planning staff received authorization to issue an advertisement/procurement to solicit proposals to administer the Community Housing Impact and Preservation (CHIP) 2026 grant, which the county is preparing to apply for.

In land-use business, the board adopted Resolution 006-26, directing county staff to inquire into the status and the potential sale of state-owned parcels on Pleasant Valley Road (former demolition-house parcels near I-35) to determine whether they can be used for infrastructure or new housing development.

Toward the end of the session, Speaker 2 requested an executive session to discuss legal matters; the body discussed waiting for an outside party named Ben before entering executive session.

Votes at a glance - Motion to approve previous meeting minutes: approved by voice vote (Aye). (SEG 023–027) - Weekly bills ($1,513,660.38): approved by voice vote (Aye). (SEG 028–046) - Appropriation — $7,887.59 to Community Action for domestic violence services: approved by voice vote. (SEG 056–063) - Asset disposal — Brother HL22140 printer, adult probation: approved by voice vote. (SEG 107–113) - Liquor license transfer — to Cross Creek Petroleum (2994 US Route 50) from Neil’s Pit Stop (122 Old Vandermark Road, Sydney, OH): approved by voice vote. (SEG 129–167) - Chauncey Streetscape Project amendment (+$7,500; contract cap noted at $195,500): approved by voice vote. (SEG 170–181) - Bainbridge GRAMA agreement amendment (state funding noted; amount unclear in transcript): approved by voice vote. (SEG 189–223) - UNESCO-related change order (veteran downspout/tree removal; $4,500 noted; county cost stated as none): approved by voice vote. (SEG 223–231) - CHIP 2026 grant advertisement/procurement authorization: approved by voice vote. (SEG 232–241) - Resolution 006-26 (inquire into potential sale of state-owned land on Pleasant Valley Road): approved by voice vote. (SEG 243–255) - Certificate of tax exemption for juvenile court communications/fiber: approved by voice vote. (SEG 256–261)

What’s next The board scheduled follow-ups on items requiring outside participation (notably a parks item involving Michael Benson), and a request for executive session on legal matters remained pending while the board awaited contact with an outside party.

Quotes from the meeting “We have a motion to approve last week's motion,” Speaker 1 said as the board moved into consent items. “All in favor, say aye,” was the standard call during roll-call votes.

The meeting adjourned to consider scheduling and an anticipated executive session once additional participants were reached.