By Kathleen Leese

For Miami Valley Today

TROY — The Miami County Commissioners approved an increase in dog and kennel fees, took action to authorize purchases and approved the members of the Community Corrections Planning Board during their Tuesday, July 30 meeting.

The commissioners approved the increase of dog and kennel registration fees for the Miami County Animal Shelter that will take effect on December 1, 2024. The fee increases include one year dog license fees, $20 per dog; three-year dog license fees, $60; permanent dog license fees, $200 per dog; kennel fee, $100 per kennel; Ohio State University (OSU) College of Veterinary Medicine, 10 cents for one year; 30 cents for three years; $1.00 permanent per ORC 955.14.

Miami County Animal Shelter Director Rob Craft requested the increase in fees due to the rising cost of maintaining the shelter and employee salaries.

Ohio Law mandates that a portion of all dog tag sales ($0.10 cents-1Yr., $0.30 cents-3Yr., $1.00 Permanent) be paid to OSU College of Veterinary Medicine. OSU then uses this money to fund grants for veterinarian research and scholarships for veterinarian students. This is not a new fee, and it has not increased, it has always been charged to all counties across the state that sell dog tags.

In other business, the commissioners authorized or approved the following:

• The purchase of GreenRadius Servers with license and support from GreenRocket Security, San Jose, California. Miami County users will remotely connect to in-house resources that are not a part of a secure network. The cost will not exceed $9,775 with the agreement renewing automatically on the first year and each year after unless terminated with a 90-day written notice.

• The purchase of Yubikey Subscriptions for the IT Department and communications center from CDW-G of Vernon Hills, Illinois. Said purchase will include Yubico Advanced Tier Plus Subscriptions. This three-year subscription with costs not to exceed $76,500 or $25,500 per year.

• The purchase of furniture for the Mental Health Court Office for Miami County Common Pleas Court from Friends Service Co., Inc., to purchase a new workstation for the Mental Health Court Specialty Docket Office to include new storage, filing and workstation unit for the probation officer. The cost is not to exceed $11,335.89 including delivery, freight and installation. A deposit of 50% is required on all orders over $5,000.

• A grant award and signed a memorandum of understanding for the 2024 LiveScan Fingerprinting Device Grant Award for Miami County Municipal Court from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. The commissioners authorized the submission of the grant application on May 24, 2024. The device will assist in improving the accuracy and completeness of the State of Ohio’s criminal record database and will be shared by the Municipal Court and the Miami County Common Pleas Court, for roughly $3,000.

• A change order for with Westerheide Construction Company, Sidney of Sidney for the Miami County Courthouse Renovation Project, requested by Facilities Director Ben Howlett. The change order is for revision to a courtroom bench length to accommodate required wheelchair placement deducting $4,211; adding emergency inverters to provide emergency egress lighting to exterior doors which adds $6,664.00; revise the first floor reflected ceiling plan and lighting locations to accommodate existing conditions deduct $3,962; and add $1,509 to the General Contract A Contingency Allowance. Total contract sum will remain unchanged at $2,085,000 with an addition to the General Contract Contingency Allowance now being $361,509.

• To set a hearing date for the Zoning Amendment Application for the Department of Development for Tuesday, Aug. 27 at 9:05 a.m. for a change in zoning for Jeffery Weeks of Newton Township.

• For board President Greg Simmons to sign the Ohio Public Works Commission Project Grant Agreement for the Evanston Private Sewer Lateral Replacement Project, Phase 1, in Monroe Township for funding in the amount of $270,00.

• A new liquor license for R & R Takhar Operations, Inc., 4423 U.S. 40, Bethel Township, Tipp City.

Lastly, the commissioners approved appointments and reappointments to the Community Corrections Planning Board (CCPB): Miami County Common Pleas Court Judge Stacy Wall, CCPB Chairperson; Miami County Municipal Court Judge Samuel Huffman; Mike Marion, jail representative; Greg Simmons, Miami County Commissioners Representative; Stacy Smith, judicial representative; Joe Fulker, attorney representing criminal defendants; Shawn McKinney, representative of Chief Law Enforcement Office; Dave Duchak, representative of county Sheriff; Terri Becker, representative of Tri-County Board of recovery and mental health services; Tammie Sharrock, representative of county board of developmental disabilities; David Carlin, representative of Community Corrections Act; Earl Reives, member of the public; Laura Seger, victim’s representative; Rick Byron, representative of other law enforcement; Justin Lande, representative of other field of corrections; Robin Oda, representative for largest municipal corporation; and Bobby Phillips, representative for largest Municipal corporation. Their terms expire on July 13, 2025, and 2026.

The writer is a regular contributor to Miami Valley Today.