By Haylee Pence
TROY – On Tuesday, March 22, the Miami County Commissioners met to authorize several resolutions and voted to table one resolution.
The tabled resolution involved contract negotiations with the WDC Group for services associated with design and construction for the Miami County Fairground Administrative All-In-One Building Project. The resolution was tabled to further discuss the review committee’s selection process for the project. The committee consisted of County Administrator Charlotte Colley, Operations and Facilities Director Chris Johnson, and Miami County Fair Board President Nick Shellenberger. The commissioners previously received five bids for the project, and the review committee individually selected firms then reconvened to discuss their choices as a group.
One of the authorized resolutions was for range improvements for the Sheriff’s Office. The improvements include two new shelters on two new concrete pads. The services also include relocating the existing shed and removal of the existing pad. The cost of these services shall not exceed $28,190. According to Sheriff Dave Duchak, “There have been no enhancements to the range in 30-40 years, so these changes are overdue.”
The first authorized resolution allowed the Miami County Family and Children First Council to submit a grant application for Operational Capacity Building Funds for a value of $15,750. The grant funds would be used to provide salary and fringe benefits for Family and Children First Council employees, administrative support, training, and consultation.
The next resolution involved approving the submission of the Ohio EPA Storm Water Management Program 2021 Annual Report to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, which depicts procedures during and following precipitation events.
Then, the commissioners approved the date to receive bids for the Miami County Courthouse third floor HVAC Renovation to be April 19.
The next resolution was to authorize the commissioners to receive Statements of Qualifications for a “professional space utilization study and facility master plan for the comprehensive study of county physical space comprised of approximately 500,000 square feet made up of 15 occupied buildings,” according to the commissioners. The Statements of Qualifications will be received on April 19.
The final resolution involved a 20% salary and benefit re-allocation for staff at West Central Detention Facility for essential COVID-19 related duties during the pandemic. The cost shall not exceed $163,330.33 from ARPA funds.
Following the meeting, the commissioners heard a presentation from Leiann Stewart, executive director of the Miami County Visitors and Convention Bureau, for an update, which included a comparison in profit through the pandemic.
In 2020, the Visitors Bureau ended with an approximation net of negative $75,000. In 2021, they saw a profit of $183,135. For 2022, they plan to invest the profit from 2021 into the county.
The bureau distributed 50,000 visitor guides to residents throughout the region, state, and other states to help increase awareness of Miami County and the things it has to offer. They marketed for 60 attractions, 85 local shops, 77 local restaurants and coffee shops, and 34 meeting spaces and wedding venues.
The next presentation was Jim Stubbs with the Treasurer’s Quarterly Investment Report for the fourth quarter report in 2021. In October of 2021, the Treasurer’s Department transferred $25 million to inactive investments. The total interest income for 2021 was $874,929. The balance of funds at the end of the fourth quarter was $129,409,490.66.
