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Athens County commissioners approve 2026 budgets, contracts and routine permits
Summary
The Board of Athens County Commissioners on Feb. 25 unanimously approved multiple 2026 budget resolutions, utility permits, contracts and transfers, and authorized a $95,000 EMA transfer and several procurement actions; one municipal court budget vote recorded one abstention.
The Board of Athens County Commissioners unanimously approved a slate of routine financial and administrative measures during its Feb. 25 meeting, including adoption of several 2026 permanent budgets, multiple utility permits, contract authorizations and a $95,000 transfer to EMA.
President Lenny Eliason and Commissioners Chris Chmiel and Charlie Adkins voted to approve the agenda and minutes and then adopted the county's Appropriations, Transfers, New Line Items and payment of county bills based on Auditor invoice reports. The board also approved a $95,000 Emergency Management Agency transfer.
The board adopted the 2026 Permanent Budget for the General Fund and Outside Funds and approved the City Municipal Court portion of the 2026 budget; President Eliason recorded an abstention on the City Municipal Court vote. Commissioners also approved a temporary credit-card limit increase for Commissioner Eliason to $5,000 for an outstanding hotel charge, with the limit to return to normal after payment.
Utility permits from Frontier, AEP Ohio and Columbia Gas for overhead and buried installations along multiple county roads were signed and approved with the county engineer's concurrence. The board appointed Mayor Kirkendall to the Regional Planning Commission and Mayor Ford to the Buckeye Hills Regional Commission.
On procurement and contracts, commissioners authorized the FMX asset-management contract (year one cost $20,400 with ongoing annual costs), approved a Great American contract for the Clerk of Courts, and declared items from the Prosecutor's Office surplus for auction, with the surplus list placed on file. The board approved equipment purchases for the Board of Developmental Disabilities and authorized travel for several staff members to training and conferences.
Commissioners also authorized filing a CORSA claim for Board of Elections supplies damaged by a water leak (itemized loss $8,494.58, county deductible $5,000). The meeting concluded after the board suspended the rules to add an emergency item addressing paving at EMS Station 53 in Glouster and directed a prosecutor's review of easement language to clarify maintenance responsibility.
Votes at a glance: motions reported in the minutes typically recorded the mover as Commissioner Charlie Adkins and the seconder as Commissioner Chris Chmiel; most motions passed unanimously (Eliason, Chmiel, Adkins). The City Municipal Court budget passed with Eliason recorded as abstaining.
The board adjourned after completing the agenda; follow-ups include staff reports and legal reviews on selected items.
