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Columbiana County approves year-end bills, accepts amended certificate as treasurer urges partial tax payments
Summary
The Board of Columbiana County Commissioners approved dozens of year-end purchase orders and accepted an amended official certificate Dec. 30; Treasurer Bryan Blakeman reported investment balances and advised taxpayers to pay only the first half of 2026 taxes ahead of projected rate declines.
The Columbiana County Board of Commissioners voted Dec. 30 to approve a long list of year-end "Then & Now" purchase orders and to accept an Amended Official Certificate dated Dec. 30, 2025.
Commissioner Ginter moved to approve the bills and Commissioner Paparodis seconded; the motions passed 2-0. Approved purchases listed in the record included vehicle and equipment orders and several large departmental purchase orders.
Treasurer Bryan Blakeman summarized the county's investment position during an Investment Advisory Board update. He said the county's Star Ohio holdings earn about 3.91% and that the county’s portfolio includes roughly $21 million in Star Ohio and about $142 million overall. Blakeman said rates are projected to decline by about 0.25% in 2026 and by another 0.25% in 2027 and described a strategy of keeping enough liquid funds to operate while investing the remainder in securities.
"I would advise that taxpayers only pay the first half of their taxes as the second half is likely to drop," Treasurer Bryan Blakeman said, adding that taxpayers who pay the full year now would instead receive a credit on their account.
The board also approved specified appropriations and reductions tied to the Amended Official Certificate. For routine housekeeping the board temporarily entered recess for the County Auditor's office to balance year-end accounts and then returned and adjourned later in the meeting.
The meeting record shows all listed motions on financial matters were adopted by a 2-0 vote (Commissioners Ginter and Paparodis voting aye; Commissioner Halleck recorded as excused).
