Meeting Details: The Board of County Commissioners met in person at 9:30 am on November 8, 2022. The meeting was held at the Geauga County Administration Building, 12611 Ravenwood Drive, Chardon, OH 44024. This meeting was in person only and there was no link to a recording.
Attendance: Commissioners Dvorak, Lennon and Spidalieri were all present. Also in attendance were Christine Blair, Commissioner’s Clerk, County Administrator Gerard Morgan and Finance Director Adrian Gorton.
Other members of County Government in attendance were Deputy Engineer Shane Haji and Highway Superintendent Rick Weikart from the Engineer’s office, Director Steven Oluic and Kathleen Miller from Water Resources, Director Glen Vernick from Maintenance, Director JoAnna Santilli from Geauga County Transit, Ben Capelle, CEO of Laketran, and in the public, Adam Litke from the Health Board.
The meeting began with the Pledge of Allegiance and a prayer led by Mr. Dvorak.
Minutes – The Commissioners approved minutes from August 30, September 8 and September 13, 2022. Observer Comment: As of November 14, 2022, minutes are posted on the BOCC website through July 21, 2022. Approved minutes may also be obtained through a public records request.
Administrator Report - Mr. Morgan reported the following actions that he took since the previous meeting on behalf of these county townships, departments, boards and courts:
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Auburn Twp - concurred with Trustees’ decision to not request a public hearing re: liquor license for a business in their community.
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Auditor’s Office - pd $34,700 to various contractors out of the American Rescue Plan Fund for Berkshire Heights connection contracts
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Bainbridge Twp - concurred with Trustees’ decision to not request a public hearing re: liquor license for a business in their community.
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Board of Developmental Disabilities - cash transfer in from GF for gas well proceeds for the period July-Sep, 2022; cash transfer in from Metzenbaum Fund for medicaid waiver match obligation;
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Board of Elections - cash transfer in from GF for 3rd quarter 2022 interest income
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Building Dept - pd $375 to Ohio Building Officials Association for conference registration
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Chester Twp - concurred with Trustees’ decision to not request a public hearing re: liquor license for a business in their community.
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Commissioners Office - pd $254,166.83 to Donley’s Independence Inc for pay request #23 for new County Office Bldg
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Common Pleas Court - encumbered funds for the Ohio Probation Officer Urgency Awareness training; approved revenue certification in their Pre-Sentence Investigation Report fund.
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Community Development - cash transfers in from GF to cover 4th quarter 2022 operating expenses and 3rd quarter 2022 payroll funding reimbursement; cash transfer in from GF for 3rd quarter 2022 interest income.
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Department on Aging - on Oct 26 accepted resignation and approved unpaid personal leave of absence for the part-time recreation and education assistant.
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Engineer’s Office - pd $337,818.95 to Aero-Mark Company LLC for polyester pavement markings to various roads in Geauga County
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Juvenile Court - encumbered funds for the 2022 Ohio Association of Juvenile Court Judges Winter meeting.
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Metzenbaum - cash transfer in from GF for 3rd quarter 2022 interest income.
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Sheriff’s Dept - approved additional GF appropriations to cover increased vehicle acquisition costs; pd $119,681.35 to Motorola Solutions Inc for annual Spillman software maintenance.
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Transit Department - on Oct 26, approved hiring a full-time transit driver and a part-time transit driver. On 11/3 approved hiring a part-time transit driver.
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Water Resources - pd $61,746.78 to GPD Group Inc for additional construction inspection and administration for the Troy Oaks Wastewater Treatment Plant Replacement Project. Accepted resignation of a Release Water Operator 2 employee and approved advertising to fill that position.
Financial Report – Mr. Adrian Gorton reported the following actions taken on behalf of these county departments, boards and courts:
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ADP Board - approved revenue certification in their Computer Equipment Improvements transfers in
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Auditor’s Office - paid $34,750 to various contractors out of the American Rescue Plan Fund for Berkshire Heights connection contracts.
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Board of Developmental Disabilities - approved revenue certification in their Residential Services transfers in revenue accounts for additional revenue received in 2022.
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Clerk of Courts - encumbered funds for Ohio Clerk of Courts Winter Conference
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Commissioners’ Office - pd $65,102.75 to Ohio State University for 4th quarter 2022 program support
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Engineer’s Office - encumbered funds for 2022 CCAO/CEAO Winter Conference; pd net cost of $11,621 to Junction Buick GMC Inc for 2023 GMC Acadia. $37,621 gross price reduced by $8,000 trade-in of 2008 Chevy Silverado and $18,000 trade-in of 2017 Ford Explorer.
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Juvenile Court - approved supplemental in their Supreme Court Technology Grant contract services expense account
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Transit Dept - pd $21,367 to Great Lake Gutters LLC for gutter repair and replacement; reimbursement grant coming from Ohio Dept of Transportation.
Commissioner Actions - the Commissioners took action on the following items:
Development Department (Community & Economic) received approval to:
Engineer’s Office received approval to:
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Execute Change Order #1 and Final, decreasing the Contract with Eclipse Co., LLC for the Asphalt Resurfacing of Washington Street (CH-0606, Sections F-J) in Auburn Township in the amount of $133,950.96.
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Execute Change Order #1 and Final, decreasing the Contract with Aero-Mark Company for the Application of Polyester Pavement Markings to Various Roads for the Year 2022 in the amount of $4,637.18.
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Authorize Timothy C. Lennon, Board member and Chief Executive Officer to execute the Ohio Public Works Commission, Appendix E – Disbursement Request Form and Certification #1 in order to release funds from the state portion of our OPWC grant for the Munn Road Resurfacing (Sections A-C) in Auburn Township in the amount of $250,000.00.
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Authorize Timothy C. Lennon, Board member and Chief Executive Officer to execute the Ohio Public Works Commission, Appendix E – Disbursement Request Form and Certification #1 in order to release funds from the state portion of our OPWC grant for the Auburn Road Resurfacing (Sections N-O) in Munson Township in the amount of $150,000.00.
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Execute the Snow and Ice Control Agreement among Geauga County Board of Commissioners, Geauga County Engineer and the Bainbridge Township Board of Trustees to provide snow and ice control on 13.42 miles of township roads (Chagrin Road, Bainbridge Road and Washington Street) for the winter season of 2022-2023 in the amount of $53,064.69.
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Execute the Snow and Ice Control Agreement among Geauga County Board of Commissioners, Geauga County Engineer and the Chester Township Board of Trustees to provide snow and ice control on 15.09 miles of township roads (Wilson Mills Road, Sperry Road, Mulberry Road and Caves Road) for the winter season of 2022-2023 in the amount of $59,668.12.
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Execute the Snow and Ice Control Agreement among Geauga County Board of Commissioners, Geauga County Engineer and Claridon Township Board of Trustees to provide snow and ice control on 9.32 miles of township roads (Ensign Road, Forrest Road (two sections), Hall Road, Spencer Road, Stillwell Road, and Taylor Wells Road for the winter season of 2022-2023 in the amount of $29,700.00.
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Execute the Snow and Ice Control Agreement among Geauga County Board of Commissioners, Geauga County Engineer and Montville Township Board of Trustees to provide snow and ice control on 10.712 miles of township roads (Burrows Road, Dewey Road, Hart Road, Hautala Road, Joann Road, Kile Road, Murphy Road, Sun Road, and Whitney Road) for the winter season 2022-2023 in the amount of $32,450.00.
Maintenance Department received approval to:
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Execute the Contract Agreement with M&M Home Improvements for the Snowplowing and Salt /Cindering for the 2022-2024 seasons at County Owned Site Group #1 – Chardon Area (including Geauga County Offices, Courthouse, Opera House, Courthouse Annex and Parking Lot) for the period November 1, 2022 through March 31, 2024 in the not to exceed amount of $124,803.25 (includes $40k for salt and Spring clean-up).
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Accept the related Performance and Payment Bond from M&M HOme Improvements
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Execute the Contract Agreement with McCaskey Landscape and Design, LLC for the Snowplowing and Salt/Cindering for the 2022-2024 seasons at County Owned Site Group #2 – 24 Hour Service Area (including Department of Emergency Services, Transit, Animal Shelter, County Office Building, County Home, Patterson Center, Safety Center and Sheriff’s Post 2) for the period November 1, 2022 through March 31, 2024 in the not to exceed amount of $246,282.00 (includes $80k for salt and Spring clean-up).
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Accept the related Performance and Payment Bond from McCaskey Landscape and Design
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Execute Resolution #22-183 Declaring County Property as Not Needed for Public Use, is Obsolete or Unfit or Use and Has No Value, as authorized by O.R.C. 307.12(I). Observer Comment: this is for furniture, shelving etc at the previous Job & Family Services location. Per Mr. Morgan, the space needs to be cleared so that University Hospitals can begin planning how the space will be used.
Transit Department received approval to:
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Authorize the President of the Board to execute the Subaward Grant Agreement (Contract #101-BABF-22-0100) Amendment under CY2022 Bus and Bus Facilities Program between the Geauga County Board of Commissioners and the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), Project Number BABF-0101-0100-221 and BABF-0101-010-222 to modify the federal grant amount awarded for replacement vehicles for a total of $157,064.00 (increase of $5,600.00), and further authorize the Director to submit the document electronically.
Transit Department held a discussion with the Commissioners re: results of the Feasibility Study completed by RLS and Associates on behalf of the Ohio Department of Transportation. Transit Director JoAnn Santilli and Laketran CEO Ben Capelle participated. Santilli and Capelle recommend exploring a contractual agreement between Geauga Transit and Laketran that would effectively consolidate staffing and purchasing functions. Without cost savings, Geauga will need to consider a levy to pay for county transit services. Key points:
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Geauga employees, including health care and retirement move to Laketran
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Dispatch control, buses/vans and maintenance remain in Geauga
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Improves ability to more economically procure supplies, fuel and vehicles.
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Eliminates competition between the two transit departments to attract staff
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Laketran can provide Medicaid billing which will produce a revenue stream
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Laketran’s annual budget is $22 million. Geauga Transit’s budget is $1.6 million
RLS and Associates has prepared an initial draft Memorandum of Understanding, which will be forwarded to the Commissioners. Goal is agreement by Feb 2023 in order to be ready for Spring grant applications.
Water Resources Department - received approval to:
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Execute Contract Maintenance Form #2 for the Engineering Agreement with GPD Group for General Engineering Services extending the agreement for an additional nine weeks from October 28, 2022 through December 30, 2022 and increasing in the amount of $21,657.60
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Execute the Service Contract Agreement with G.A.R. Paving to perform asphalt repairs at multiple locations, as outlined in the proposal, for the department for the period of one-year, effective November 8, 2022 in an amount not to exceed $11,505.00
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Authorize the President of the Board to execute the Ohio Water Development Authority Fund Payment Request #11 for the McFarland Wastewater Treatment Plant Renovation and Upgrade Project for technical services by HDR Engineering, Incorporated in the amount of $89,512.55
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Authorize the President of the Board to execute the Request for Partial Payment #6 for Woodford Excavating, LLC for the Bainbridge Waterline Extension Project, the Ohio Water Development Authority Contractor’s Estimate #6 and the Ohio Water Development Authority Fund Payment Request #6 in the amount of $126,212.76
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Execute Resolution #22-182 Approving American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 Expenditure – Water Resources McFarland Wastewater Treatment Plant NPDES Permit and Permit to Install Expenses in the amount of $15,300.00.
Executive Session #1 - At the request of the Department of Water Resources, by unanimous roll call vote entered into Executive Session for the purpose of discussing union negotiations with Local 4340 Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO/CLC for the next contract period effective January 1, 2023. Participants included all Commissioners, Mr. Morgan, Mr. Oluic and Ms. Miller. Re-entered regular session at 11:18AM. No action taken.
Executive Session #2 - At the request of the Commissioner’s Office, the Board voted unanimously to enter into Executive Session for the purpose of discussing pending litigation with outside counsel. Participants included all Commissioners and Mr. Morgan. Presumably the attorney participated remotely. Re-entered public session at 11:55 AM. No action taken.
Public Comment - Adam Litke from Geauga Public Health District shared they are ready to award Parkman Well bid and expect test well drilling to begin in 1-2 weeks. Ohio EPA has approved drilling a minimum of six test wells.
Not on Agenda: - Mr. Morgan indicated that cell service is now working throughout the new office building.
Adjournment - adjourned at 11:57 AM.
More Information and Minutes of past meetings available here when posted:
https://bocc.geauga.oh.gov/meeting-minutes/#group=documentlist&doc-category=&doc-year=0&docspagination=0-15
Next Meeting: Tuesday, November 15, 2022 at 9:30 am
Observer: Shelly Lewis
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