By Eamon Baird
TROY — Miami County Commissioners thanked Kim Barnett for her years of service as an accountant clerk in the Department of Sanitary Engineering during their meeting on Thursday, March 7.
“So, Kim has been with the county for 26 years and has been an awesome employee, and unfortunately, employees retire,” Josh Lococo, assistant sanitary engineer, said.
“I want to say thank you for your service. That’s a long career, dealing with the public and dealing with finances through all those years. You’ve done a great job, thank you,” Commissioner Ted Mercer said to Barnett.
The commissioners authorized an employee requisition form for a full-time accountant clerk in the Sanitary Engineering Department to replace Barnett.
In other business, the commissioners also authorized an application for the Interstate 75 roadside litter cleanup in Miami County. The terms and conditions for the Adopt-a-Highway Program Application were submitted to ODOT as requested by the municipal court. ODOT will provide bags and signs for the litter pickup.
Anthony Blakley, court administrator for the Miami County Municipal Court, said that last year, this program collected six tons of trash on the Interstate.
“So that’s pretty vital programming supports the courts need as far as allowing offenders to get back to the community where they’ve offended,” Blakley added.
The commissioners also authorized the following resolutions:
• A two-year Title IV-E placement contract from Abbey Hill Group Home of Louisville, Kentucky, to the Department of Job and Family Services for $500,000.
• A contract for the Miami County Sheriff’s Office Jail Needs and Assessment and Master Planning Project with Henningson Durham & Richardson, P.C. (HDR) of Chicago, Illinois. The total cost of said services is $215,000, which includes cost estimates for planning, designing, constructing, and space occupancy recommendations.
• The Miami County Sheriff’s Office’s monthly expense account receipt.
• A Rural Transit Program grant award amendment for an additional $500,000 in federal funds and 250,000 in state general funds for operating expenses. The performance end date is revised from Dec. 31, 2023, to June 30, 2024.
• The Ohio Workforce Mobility Partnership Program grant for $291,690 from the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT). Said funds will offset costs for three replacement LTV buses, which is 80% of the cost of said vehicles.
• The 2025 Rural Transit Program (ODOT) grant award is $878,579 in federal funds, $440,000 in state general funds for operating expenses, and $364,614 in federal bus and bus facilities program funds.
• To set a date of March 21 to hear a request in zoning for FDH Investments LLC of Staunton Township.
• To submit the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Storm Management Program 2023 annual report.
At the end of the meeting, the commissioners thanked Commissioner Greg Simmons for his service on the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission (MVRPC).
“I just want to thank you for your service today,” Commissioner Wade Westfall said to Simmons.
Mercer will be taking Simmons’ place as a member of the executive committee of the MVRPC.
