Public Welcome to Attend Ribbon Cutting of the New Courthouse Expansion
Scheduled for Tuesday April 7th @ 10 am in Judge Paschke’s Courtroom
Board of County Commissioners Meeting - March 10, 2026
Meeting Details: The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) met in Regular Session on Tuesday, March 10, 2026 at 9:30 am for a meeting at the Geauga County Office Building, 12611 Ravenwood Drive, Room B303, Chardon, OH. Meetings can be live streamed through the Geauga ADP Youtube channel and can be accessed here by scrolling down and clicking on the section for YouTube videos. Recordings are available for the public. This meeting can be found here. As of this report’s publication date, the video has been viewed 316 times. Notations in the report refer to the minute notation on the video for a particular section. An agenda is available in advance via request to the Commissioners’ Clerk and at the meeting. Items discussed at the meeting but not on the agenda, if any, are addressed at the end of this report.
Public Comment Policy: Permitted as outlined in the BOCC’s Public Comment Policy that was adopted on January 28, 2025, revised on April 15, 2025, and again modified on September 30, 2025 and February 19, 2026.
Attendance: Present were Commissioners Carolyn Brakey, and James Dvorak. Commissioner Ralph Spidalieri was absent. Also present were Commissioners’ Clerk Christine Blair; County Administrator Amy Bevan; Deputy County Administrator Mark Jimison, and Finance Manager Adrian Gorton.
County Representatives: Chief Operations Officer for the Auditor’s Office Pam McMahan; Recorder Celesta Mullins; Rob Weigle, Director, Maintenance; Liz Ruvino, Contract Coordinator, Maintenance; Jessica Boalt, Director, Office on Aging; Matt Granito, Dog Warden; Max Yost, County Communications/Media Specialist.
Others in Attendance: Burton Fire Chief Brian Davidson; Burton Fire Dept. Lieutenant (name not verified); Brett Bestgen, Senior Project Manager, Infinity Construction; Laura Holman, Director, Aurora Parks and Recreation Department; Mark Dinishak, Geauga County Apiarist; members of the press, and this Observer.
9:37 Min. Pledge of Allegiance and Prayer (Commissioner Dvorak)
Public Comment on Agenda Items - No Comments from the public
Minutes - No Minutes were submitted for approval. Observer Note: Weekly LWVG Observer Reports for the BOCC are available online through March 10, 2026 for informational purposes but are not substitutes for approved minutes. Approved BOCC Minutes are posted online here through October 28, 2025.
10:51 Min. Report of Administrator, Amy Bevan: The following items were mentioned:
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On March 9th, for the Department of Water Resources, approved and executed the service contract agreement with Cummins Incorporated, DBA, Cummins Sales and Services to perform generator repairs as needed for wastewater and water locations within Cummins's generators for a one-year period to be effective March 9th, 2026 in an amount not to exceed $10,000. ($8,000 for wastewater and $2,000 for water).
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Concurred with the Auburn Township trustees in not requesting a hearing on the liquor license being requested by White Barn Brands LLC, The Mercantile, located at 17720 Ravenna Road, Chardon, Ohio.
11:52 Min. Financial Report - Mr. Gorton received approval for the following:
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Supplemental appropriation in the General Fund from ADP to increase their contract services account so that they can hire outside legal services. Observer Note: Although the reason was not mentioned, ADP employees have filed for union representation. For details, see the LWVGeauga Observer Report for the March 2, 2026 ADP Meeting and the LWVGeauga Observer Report for the March 5, 2026 ADP Meeting.
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Encumbrance decrease from Water Resources to reduce a contract with NPM Holdings LLC that had been inadvertently increased beyond the competitive bidding threshold.
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Travel encumbrances from the Common Pleas court to attend the Ohio Supreme Court Judicial Colleges 2026 Capital Cases Seminar and the 2026 Ohio IT Leadership Forum, both in Columbus, Ohio.
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Vouchers
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$58,782 from ADP to Image Access Incorporated for the Opus Scanner.
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$406,967.97 from the Commissioners’ office to Infinity Construction Company for pay request number 30 of the courthouse expansion project.
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$140,993.15 from the Engineers's office to Concord Road Equipment to outfit a new vehicle chassis with all the equipment required for a new plow truck including the bed, plow, and hydraulics.
14:04 Min. The Commissioners’ Office received approval for the following:
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to reject the proposals submitted by MGT and Maximus for the Preparation of a Geauga County Cost Allocation Plan, due to an error in the specifications regarding submission. It was stated that the original submission permitted email submissions, but that was not correct.
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to grant permission to re-advertise to accept Competitive Sealed Proposals for the Preparation of a Geauga County Cost Allocation Plan to be held on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, at 2:45 pm. Notice of this Competitive Sealed Proposal will be advertised on March 12, 2026, March 19, 2026, and on the county website.
14:34 Min. Infinity Construction Senior Project Manager Brett Bestgen discussed a request for a reduction in retainage on the Geauga County Courthouse Expansion project based on the current status of the project. The Commissioners voted to approve the request. Mr. Bestgen said they had previously reduced the retainage from 10% to 5%. Now, he said they are substantially complete so he asked to reduce it further to 2%. The reduction will be from $900,000 to around $375,000. He said they only have about 20 items left (from a list of 200) on the punchlist and that the Courthouse employees have moved into the building.
17:26 Min. The Auditor’s Office received approval to authorize the President of the Board to execute the Ohio Auditor of State, for the engagement of services with Local Government Services (LGS) for the 2025 GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) conversion for the year ending December 31, 2025, in an amount not to exceed $56,000.00. Mrs. Brakey asked if this was required and Ms. McMahan said that it was. She also said that it was the most cost effective way to proceed and that costs were consistent with prior years.
20:20 Min. The Recorder’s Office received approval to execute the DocRouter Plus User Agreement between the eRecording Partners Network, LLC and the Geauga County Board of Commissioners that will allow certain documents to be electronically transmitted by the County to one or more departments or offices within the County for recording purposes, pending ADP completing their security analysis. Ms. Mullins said, “first of all there is no charge; it is free to the county so it doesn't cost us anything but it is part of that state mandate where I have to be able to electronically record conveyances and this is the company that would allow me to do so.” Mrs. Brakey remarked that it can’t just be free and wondered how the company would be compensated. Ms. Mullins explained that the company charges the customer (the bank or mortgage company). Mrs. Brakey wondered if there were “guardrails” on the cost charged. Ms. Mullins said that the Prosecutor’s office had been reviewing it and approved it “as is.” She noted that the agreement had gone back and forth for the last year. There was a question as to whose APA (Assistant Prosecutor Attorney) should review it, but it appeared it had been reviewed by the correct APA.
24:05 Min. The Maintenance Department received approval to execute a service Contract Agreement with James W. Ross Incorporated d.b.a. Swift First Aid to supply the Geauga County Offices with First Aid supplies for a three-year period in an amount not to exceed $15,000.00. Mr. Weigle said that the increase over prior years was due to adding two additional AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) at the Courthouse.
The Department of Water Resources requested approval to execute the Ohio Water Development Authority Fund Payment Request #12 for the McFarland Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements Project for technical services by HDR Engineering, Incorporated in the amount of $47,736.39. This was tabled until the next session when Commissioner Spidalieri will also be in attendance.
26:18 Min. The Department on Aging received approval for a Letter of Support for a request for support for the FY2027 Community Project Funding for the West Geauga Senior Center Renovation project. Ms. Boalt discussed some of the highlights of the project as follows: interior remodel to enlarge some of the programming space, replacement of the carpet, as well as some ceiling work, moving some of the fire systems, new ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) doors and parking lot enhancements to not only seal and patch some parking areas, but to add spaces for handicap accessibility.
28 Min. The Dog Warden received approval for a Letter of Support and Recommendation for federal and state grant funding for the construction of a new dog shelter. Dog Warden Granito said they are trying to get funds for this new shelter, not only through these federal and state grants, but also through private funding. Mr. Granito said they are “looking at a facility at about 6,000 square feet, which would give us room to expand if we need to but it would also help as far as all the modern things, isolation, quarantine areas.”
30:06 Min. The Burton Volunteer Fire Department received approval for a Letter of Support for a Congressionally Directed Spending funding request for the remodeling and expansion of its historic fire station and to improve water infrastructure within the Village of Burton. They are hoping to add 11,000 square feet of base and training facility onto the fire station and then remodel the current 8,000 square feet of the fire station. It was explained that the older part of the building was built in 1890 and is not sufficient for modern equipment. Observer Note: This Letter does not indicate that the County will pay any matching funds. These funds do not require a match.
33:40 Min. The City of Aurora received approval for a Letter of Support for a funding request regarding the City of Aurora’s Aurora Park at Geauga Lake Phase 2a. Ms. Holman, Director of the Aurora Parks & Recreation Department, gave some background information. She reviewed the city’s purchase of Geauga Lake itself along with approximately 43 acres that is mostly in Aurora but also some in Bainbridge Township in Geauga County. They have been working with both the City and Geauga County regarding plans for the park. The letter of support is for a future phase 2b. Phase 2b will have a swimming pool, restrooms and a changing area. For the current phase, they are redoing a pavilion and adding a kayak launch for stand up paddle board and kayak rentals and a lot for open air gathering spaces.
36:19 Min. Geauga County Apiarist Mark Dinishak did a short presentation on beekeeping and what he does as an inspector for the county. Mr. Dinishak said he has been keeping bees since 1975. HB 96 changed several aspects of ORC 909. Observer Note: See information about the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Apiary Program here. Mr. Dinishak said this change now requires online registration and that has been difficult for the Amish community. He said the advantage of getting registered is that you can get a certification that allows you to sell your queens or equipment. The purpose of the law is to prevent a total wipe-out of hives due to bacteria-based pathogens. He said if someone is interested in getting into bee keeping, the Beekeeping Association (with 80 members) is a good place to start. He also tries to help new members. He asked the Commissioners if they might have a spot where he could hold a training/education session. Commissioners did not commit to providing such a space. He also said that he does not do anything with honey, but that there are other agencies that regulate home industries.
The Commissioners’ Office received approval for the following:
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to cancel the regular session scheduled for Tuesday, March 24, 2026.
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to change to the start time of regular session scheduled for Tuesday, April 7, 2026, from 9:30 am to 10:00 am and the location from 12611 Ravenwood Drive, Room B303, to Judge Paschke’s Courtroom, on the 2nd floor of the new Geauga County Courthouse Expansion, in Chardon. The meeting will include the Ribbon Cutting of the new Courthouse Expansion and then move to conclude at the Heritage House on Chardon Square.
50:00 Min. Board Discussion
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2027 Tax Budget Letter - Ms. Bevan said they would be sending out a letter to all departments about a date for their budget hearing.
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Cyber Fraud Internal Controls policy - Ms. Bevan said that, “primarily the individuals associated with the financial side of our operations attended a training put on by ADP. It was very well done.” After the training they decided to list some guidelines and include them in the Policy Manual they are working on. She noted that “there is a potential for employees to be personally held liable.”
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Ribbon Cutting of the new Courthouse Expansion and Open House - Mrs. Brakey asked if they would be streaming the ribbon cutting and meeting, and Ms. Bevan said she had put in a service request to ADP to do that. Ms. Bevan asked Mr. Yost to talk about the invitations. He said that they would be inviting federal legislators, state legislators, the Supreme Court justices, and Court of Appeals judges. They are going to ask them to deliver remarks during the ceremony if they attend. He said that members of the Chardon band would be there and the Chardon class officers will lead in the Pledge of Allegiance.
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1:00 Min. Fair - Ms. Bevan and Mr. Dvorak talked about the experiment last year to use Merchant Hall 2 for county services. Mr. Dvorak said that the challenge was that anyone with a table is required to have someone there every day of the Fair. Mr. Dvorak said they would “work it out” this year for the America 250 celebration.
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Opioid Settlement Grant Cycle - Ms. Blair said that Christine Lakomiak, Director of the Geauga Mental Health and Recovery Board (GMHR), had informed her that they had gotten four proposals for a grant and wanted to know how the Commissioners wanted to proceed. Mrs. Brakey said she would like to see a rubric from Ms. Lakomiak, and Mr. Dvorak agreed that he would like to see such an analysis and then all three Commissioners could review proposals with that in mind. Ms. Blair said that, with Commissioners’ meeting canceled for March 24, the decision could not then be made until March 31. The funding period starts April 1. Ms. Blair noted that Mr. Gorton has already provided the funding to GMHR so it would “just be a matter of getting that approval of those programs.”
1:04 Min Public Comment
A South Russell Village resident asked about the fact that the prior week’s meeting had only 15 minutes of livestream and video for a two hour meeting. He wanted to know when they would see the rest of the meeting. Ms. Bevan said that there were connectivity issues and that there is nothing additional to be seen because of that interruption. She said that the system is now working. Observer Note: See LWVGeauga report for March 3, 2026 for information on that meeting.
The same resident also asked when the Executive Director of NOACA (Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency) would be attending the Commissioners’ meeting. Ms. Bevan said that they had not heard back from NOACA Executive Director Grace Gallucci.
Meeting adjourned at 10:27 am.
Information and Posted Minutes: Available here.
Next Regular Meeting of the BOCC: The next Regular Meeting of the BOCC will be on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 at the County Administration Building, 12611 Ravenwood Drive, Room B303, Chardon, OH.
Observer: Gail Roussey
Editor: Rooney Moy
Reviewer: Carol Benton
Date Submitted: March 14, 2026
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