Jill Hartson

The agenda for the meeting included appointments, with Pastor Bobby Brown scheduled for the opening prayer and Jim Skora for updates on the 2025 Solid Waste District program. Business items focused on authorizing payments for warrants across several departments, including the health department and the sheriff's office, and concurring with a specific appropriation for the Vendors License tax distribution. The Commissioners considered the cancellation of a subsequent meeting scheduled for January 27, 2026. Approvals included travel for the Treasurer to attend the Ohio Land Bank Conference and a one-year contract with ParTec Systems for operating and maintaining the official public sheriff sale website and auction management system.

The agenda for the meeting included several key business items. Discussions covered the authorization of Then & Now Certifications and warrant payments across various county departments including treasurer, solid waste, and courts. The Commission was set to approve a Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Job and Family Services and community partners concerning child abuse and neglect. Travel requests for personnel from the Solid Waste District, Clerk of Courts, and Engineer's office were presented for concurrence. Business also included authorizing the Local Emergency Planning Committee to purchase equipment for fire departments, approving an appointment within the Income Maintenance unit, authorizing several appropriations for various funds (FCFC, LEPC, EMA, Permissive Tax), approving specific fund transfers for clothing allowances for Communications and Jail Operations, and authorizing the Auditor to release $5.00 Permissive Tax funds to the City of Ashland for a specific traffic signal upgrade.

The primary discussion item was the official closing schedule for county buildings for the year 2026. A motion was passed establishing the list of observed holidays for 2026, which includes New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans' Day, Thanksgiving Day, the Day after Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day.

The meeting addressed organizational matters for 2026, including the designation of the Board President and Vice-President as voting representatives for the County Commissioners Association of Ohio. Key items included authorizing several annual appointments for various county bodies such as the Ashland Area Economic Development, Ashland County Land Bank, and Kno-Ho-Co Governing Board. Travel requests were concurred with for the County Engineer and the EMA Director. The Board authorized a payment to legal counsel for a pending case and concurred with the Local Emergency Planning Committee applying for state funding. Extensive action was taken regarding fund transfers between various departments and funds to cover 2026 mandated and planning services, including transfers for Soil & Water, PAF, and CSEA. Additionally, several Sheriff's vehicles and equipment were declared surplus for internet auction, and various appropriations were concurred with to cover Q1 Medicaid payments, correct payroll errors, and fund new employee expenses. A new public sector representative was appointed to the Kno-Ho-Co Governing Board, donations to the dog shelter were accepted, and advertising to accept bids for a new administration building estimated at $7,000,000 was authorized.

The agenda included an opening prayer by Pastor Tim Bright and a dog shelter coloring contest. The board concurred with transfers from Common Pleas for contract service expenses and from the Health Department to Workforce Development for remaining year expenses. Appropriations were authorized for the airport terminal project, transfers out from the Health Department, wages for Workforce Development, and payroll expenses for Sheriff Rotary. An agreement with Koorsen Fire & Security for fire monitoring services at the health department was approved.