Fayette County commissioners approve contracts, appropriations and $333,440 amendment to Rattlesnake water plant

The Fayette County Board of Commissioners on Feb. 2 approved a range of budgetary and contracting actions covering county services, airport improvements and a major amendment to work on the Rattlesnake Water Treatment Plant.

Commissioners James D. Garland and Tony Anderson, with Commissioner Donald L. Fleak recorded absent, approved payment of the meeting's bill list after a formal motion and roll call. The board also accepted an Amended Official Certificate of Estimated Resources #2 from the Fayette County Budget Commission and approved several appropriation changes, including $104,507.67 for building grounds capital improvements and an $18,088 transfer to a CCA refund line.

Per requests from the Department of Job and Family Services, the board approved an amendment to the contract with Workforce Services Unlimited to manage the county Recruitment and Training Center, increasing the contract maximum to $230,000 and extending the term through June 30, 2026. The board also approved a Title IV-E child placement and related-services contract with New Mercy Outreach, Inc., effective Jan. 1–Dec. 31, 2026, with a maximum payable amount of $75,000.

The board approved a services contract with WM Excavating Solutions LLC (Wyatt Mayer, d.b.a. WM Excavating Solutions) to perform site work at county-owned properties for calendar year 2026. The contract lists hourly rates for equipment and labor and higher after-hours emergency rates; the contractor agrees to hold the county harmless for accident or injury.

The Village of Bloomingburg requested release of Permissive Motor Vehicle License (PMVL) funds totaling $3,645.44 as of December 2025. The board authorized release of the requested PMVL funds to the village.

At the Fayette County Airport, the board accepted Brandstetter Carroll, Inc.'s proposals for engineering services: $34,500 to design and construct new lighted wind cones at runways 5 and 23, and $22,500 to design and construct an asphalt apron seal coat.

The board adopted two related resolutions authorizing the County Administrator and Information Systems Manager to use county credit cards for work-related expenses within appropriated budget lines for 2026, and authorizing the Facilities Manager to use a county credit card with monthly charges not to exceed $5,000 for routine repairs and work-related expenses.

A notable infrastructure action was approval of a General Conditions amendment for Construction Phase Services under Contract A of the Rattlesnake Water Treatment Plant project with Bowen Engineering. The amendment increases the contract by $333,440 for the period covering September 2025 through April 2026; the board approved the amendment by roll call.

The board also authorized a range of travel and training expenditures, including attendance by Auditor Brenda Mossbarger and several Department of Job & Family Services staff at scheduled executive and membership meetings; per the minutes, individual meeting expense estimates and funding sources were recorded.

There was an executive session called for 11:00 a.m. to discuss contracts with representatives from the City of Wilmington, the Ohio Department of Development and Fayette County Engineer Jason S. Little; the board returned to regular session at 11:50 a.m. The meeting adjourned with the next regularly scheduled meeting to follow.

Votes at a glance: motions reported in the minutes were carried on roll calls with Commissioners Garland and Anderson recorded as voting aye and Commissioner Fleak recorded absent for each recorded roll call.