Clermont County commissioners approve payments, grant actions and levy certifications as resident urges winter shelter plan

The Clermont County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 21 approved vendor payments, several contract change orders and multiple grant- and levy-related actions while a Union Township resident urged the board to create contingency plans for people facing homelessness during cold weather.

Resident Jen told the commissioners she had volunteered at a local warming shelter and warned capacity is limited, saying, “we've got to do a better job in this county” to make sure people have shelter and food when federal and state assistance is cut. The board closed public participation and moved through routine and non-consent agenda items, approving a vendor-payment resolution of $3,555,111.54 and several contract adjustments and grant authorizations.

Why this matters: The meeting combined routine fiscal and infrastructure approvals with early-stage decisions that could affect service delivery and capital projects in 2026. Commissioners certified multiple tax-levy requests to the county auditor — the first administrative step required for placing levies on May's primary ballot — and heard agency warnings that reserves for children’s services could be stressed without additional revenue.

Among the votes taken, the board authorized the county auditor to issue warrants for the vendor payments under Ohio Revised Code §319.16 and approved organizational changes in human resources. The board also authorized the president of the board to execute HUD grant agreements (CDBG and HOME programs) ratified earlier, and approved a one-year extension to the county’s electrical maintenance contract for water and wastewater facilities.

On airport management, the board approved a five-year renewal with Eastern Cincinnati Aviation and heard staff describe a federally funded master-planning process that could support a future runway extension; Chris Mlenn, community economic development director, said the master-plan work has cost “half a million dollars at this point” and that the FAA would cover most of that expense.

Levies and election actions: County staff presented multiple levy certification requests. Dan, superintendent for the Board of Developmental Disabilities, asked the commissioners to request auditor certification for a continuous operating levy (first collection planned for 2027). The Department of Job and Family Services offered two options for the children's services levy — a renewal or a renewal plus a 0.2‑mill increase — and warned that without an increase reserves could be drawn down mid-cycle. Commissioners voted to request certification for the renewal option; the roll call on that motion recorded two yes votes and one no from Commissioner Bachelor, who said she preferred seeking an increase to avoid depleting reserves.

Staff updates and community support: County staff reported on a coordinated food drive organized during a recent federal SNAP interruption and described an ongoing committee of county agencies and local food pantries that distributed donations to pantries in need. Donnie Meyer, director of Job and Family Services, and Family & Children First staff announced a coat giveaway of roughly 240 new coats for children scheduled for Jan. 23.

Infrastructure items approved included multiple change orders and a request by Joel Gross, director of Water Resources, to add an emergent Lucy Run sewer relocation and replacement project (~$3 million) to the capital improvement plan so the county can pursue a federal infrastructure/environmental grant that would fund about 75% of the work; the county’s estimated 25% match would be roughly $750,000.

The board also set a public hearing for April 1 on a petition to annex roughly 9.9954 acres from Stonelick Township to the village of Owensville, and recessed into executive session under Ohio law for personnel and legal discussions; no action was taken on return. The meeting concluded with brief member comments and adjournment.

Votes at a glance: vendor payments (Resolution 06-26) — approved; human resources table of organization (item 10) — approved; HUD grant authorizations (item 11) — approved; Bluewood Electric contract extension (item 14) — approved; ODOD grant amendment for wastewater (item 15) — approved; Lucy Run sewer addition to CIP (Resolution 011-26) — approved; certification requests for levies (Board of DD, Senior Services, Children’s Services renewal) — certifications requested/approved for auditor review; annexation petition acknowledged and hearing set — approved.

What’s next: Several items require follow-up: the county auditor’s certification of levy revenue estimates (to finalize ballot language), potential application submittal for the federal environmental/infrastructure grant tied to the Lucy Run sewer project, and staff follow-up on the Williams water-tower evaluation and property-maintenance concerns raised by a resident. The board will reconvene for regular sessions and supplemental agenda items as needed.