Lucas County commissioners re-elect Lisa Sabecki as president; approve appointments, contracts and infrastructure reports

TOLEDO, Ohio — The Board of Lucas County Commissioners re-elected Commissioner Lisa Sabecki as president and approved a slate of routine appointments, contracts and infrastructure items at its Jan. 6, 2026 meeting.

Commissioner Lisa Sabecki, re-confirmed as board president in a roll call vote, opened by outlining priorities for 2026, including quarterly updates with elected officials, quarterly outreach to each of Lucas County’s 22 townships, villages and cities, implementation of the county’s strategic plan, centralized permitting and purchasing, and capital work at the county jail. “I promise to lead as I did last year with integrity and to be thoughtful in my decision making,” Sabecki said, noting a planned $3,600,000 investment to replace the jail roof and address water intrusion.

The board adopted its 2026 meeting schedule and designated commissioner seats on numerous boards and commissions. Administrator Ford read appointments for commissioner representation to county and regional bodies, naming commissioners and staff to roles that include the County Commissioners Association of Ohio, plan and development boards, solid waste and workforce development panels, and regional councils.

County Engineer Mike Panuski presented required engineering items, including certification of the county highway system at 252.607 miles and the 2025 bridge inspection report. Panuski warned that many bridges are aging — “our bridges are getting worse in terms of their condition,” he said — and that several structures are moving from higher to lower condition ratings. He said the engineer’s office plans upgrades for bridges rated 4 and 5 over the next 10 years and noted the county currently has three load‑rated bridges.

The board approved the engineer’s items on a roll call vote.

The commissioners approved a consultant agreement with NEA Consultant Consulting LLC and a reinstated tower agreement with Monroe County for Fire Station 18 on Lewis Avenue; Monroe County shares expenses for that site and pays about $7,500 per year to Lucas County, Frank Cody of the sheriff’s office said.

Eric Zacco presented a contract amendment with Tyler Technologies to remove the enterprise‑justice portion of a case management project after the county’s assessment found the software did not meet its pretrial booking needs. Tyler will refund Lucas County $142,387.94 for undelivered software and services, Zacco said; commissioners approved the amendment.

Juvenile court items won approval, including an agreement with Unison for mental‑health services in the juvenile detention and treatment centers and a related memorandum of agreement with the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board to fund the work.

The facilities director asked for permission to advertise for demolition of the former Child Studies Institute at 428 10th Street; the city’s plan commission required preservation of part of the building facade to avoid a gap in the streetscape, and the board authorized advertising.

Director Browner presented multiple personnel actions, including appointments and starting wages (examples: Marvin Wadley at $19.67 per hour for a utility worker position; Edwin Campos at $21.69 per hour for a case manager; several eligibility specialists at $20.09 per hour). The board approved those personnel actions on unanimous roll call votes.

The meeting adjourned with the board set to reconvene Jan. 13 at 11 a.m.

Votes at a glance - Approval of Dec. 9, 2025 minutes: Commissioner Cebecchi — yes; Commissioner Gerken — yes; Commissioner Lopez — abstain (absent for that meeting). Outcome: approved. - Election of board president (Lisa Sabecki): Gerken — yes; Lopez — yes; Cebecchi — yes. Outcome: Sabecki elected president for 2026. - Consultant agreement (NEA Consultant Consulting LLC): Cebecchi — yes; Gerken — yes; Lopez — yes. Outcome: approved. - County engineer items (meeting dates, mileage certification, bridge inspection, road acceptances): Gerken — yes; Lopez — yes; Cebecchi — yes. Outcome: approved. - Reinstatement of tower agreement with Monroe County (Fire Station 18): Gerken — yes; Lopez — yes; Cebecchi — yes. Outcome: approved. - Tyler Technologies contract amendment (refund $142,387.94): Gerken — yes; Lopez — yes; Sabecki — yes. Outcome: approved. - Juvenile court agreements (Unison / funding MOA): Gerken — yes; Lopez — yes; Cebecchi — yes. Outcome: approved. - Facilities demolition advertisement and personnel appointments: Gerken — yes; Lopez — yes; Cebecchi — yes. Outcome: approved.

What to watch next The board signaled 2026 budget pressures tied to potential property tax reform and shifts in federal cost share for local services; Sabecki said the county will continue quarterly outreach to jurisdictions and report on strategic‑plan implementation and facility condition assessments in coming months.

Sources: Board of Lucas County Commissioners meeting transcript, Jan. 6, 2026 (remarks and roll calls).