By Aimee Hancock
TROY — The Board of Miami County Commissioners on Tuesday accepted the resignation of Job and Family Services Director Teresa Brubaker.
Brubaker, who has worked for the county for 31 years, will officially retire from her position on July 31, 2021.
“Director Brubaker’s many years of service for the county are much appreciated,” said Commissioner Ted Mercer.
“I really appreciate all you have done and the length of service you’ve provided, and I wish you a happy retirement,” said Commissioner Greg Simmons.
Also during Tuesday’s regular board meeting, a second hearing was held for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) PY 2021 Small Cities Program.
Miami County was allocated $196,000 in CDBG funds to grant to municipalities within the county. The villages will use these allocated funds, along with leverage funds, to apply for additional funding grants through the CDBG program.
According to Planning and Zoning Manager Dan Suerdieck, the CDBG program is federally funded and administered by the Ohio Development Services Agency (ODSA). The program can fund a broad range of activities, including economic development projects, streets, water supply, drainage, sanitary sewer improvement, demolition of unsafe structures, rehab of housing, and more.
These funds may be received in the form of a critical infrastructure grant or a neighborhood revitalization grant. The critical infrastructure grant ceiling is $500,000, and the neighborhood revitalization grant ceiling is $750,000.
Jurisdictions applying for the grant include Bradford, Fletcher and Covington, Suerdieck said.
The village of Bradford would like to make water line and sidewalk improvements on East Oakwood Street. The village is requesting $75,000 of county CDBG allocation funds, as well as $230,000 of local funding to be used as leverage, to apply for a critical infrastructure grant in the amount of $500,000 in order to complete a full street reconstruction project on Oakwood and Pearl streets.
The village of Fletcher is requesting $75,000 of county CDBG allocation funds, as well as $305,000 of local funding used as leverage, to apply for a critical infrastructure grant in the amount of $500,000 in order to replace the existing water tower located within the village.
In the event the village’s critical infrastructure application is not funded by the ODSA, its $75,000 of Miami County CDBG allocation funds would be put toward the Oakwood Street Water Facilities Improvement Project.
The village of Covington is requesting $32,000 of county CDBG allocation funds to demolish and clear the existing blighted structure at 188 High St. The village’s acquisition costs, as well as additional funds needed to complete the project, totaling $42,500, would be used as leverage funding.
Covington is also requesting $240,000 of Target of Opportunity program funding to be used to demolish the old Rudy Grain Elevator located within the village. The village has proposed to use the acquisition cost of $35,000 as leverage for this additional grant of up to $240,000.
Tuesday’s second hearing was required as part of the CDBG application guidelines. Final approval of these applications will be voted on at a later date.
Also during Tuesday’s meeting:
• Commissioners authorized a memorandum of understanding between Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) and Miami County Commissioners, Miami County Municipal Court and Miami County Court of Common Pleas for the purpose of sharing efforts in order to expand access to employment through vocational rehabilitation services and increase employment outcomes that promote recovery and rehabilitation opportunities for individuals with disabilities, including substance use disorder and/or mental health diagnosis, who are participating in certified specialized court dockets.
• Commissioners authorized a memorandum of agreement for jail services with Clark County and the Miami County Sheriff’s Office for the purpose of providing and receiving prisoners from the Clark County Jail to the Miami County Jail and/or the Miami County Incarceration Facility. MCSO agrees to provide Clark County bed spaces at a rate of $55 per day per bed.
• Commissioners authorized the Sheriff’s Office to purchase three full-size SureGuard safety restraint chairs from Safety Restraint Chair Inc., of Omaha, Neb., to be used by MCSO to restrain unruly inmates. Cost not to exceed $7,195.
• Commissioners authorized Miami County Veterans’ Services to purchase one 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Touring L Van to be used as a Veterans’ Services transport vehicle. This purchase will allow the transport of more than four veterans. Cost not to exceed $39,370, and van will be purchased from Erwin Chrysler Dodge Jeep Inc., of Troy.
• Employee verification was approved for Richard Mangen as maintenance technician II for the commissioners’ department. The rate of pay is $17.50 per hour.
• Two zoning hearings were held: approval was given to rezone 14.511 acres, located on Geiserman Road in Piqua, from A-2 General Agriculture to R-1AAA Single Family Residential. Approval was also given to rezone 2.0 acres, located at 2560 Kessler-Cowlesville Road in Troy, from A-2 General Agriculture to R-1AAA Single Family Residential.
• Two executive sessions were held, both with no action taken. One session was to discuss pending imminent litigation, and one was to discuss personnel/employment.
