The Delaware County Board of Commissioners met six times in March, and this a summary of what took place:
• Three residents, including Liberty Township Trustee Scott Donaldson, voiced their concerns about semi-truck traffic on state Route 315 at the start of the March 7 meeting. In legislative action, the commissioners acknowledged receipt of a request for annexation of 298.398 acres of land from Trenton Township to the City of Sunbury (this was granted on March 28). A collective bargaining agreement between the county’s 9-1-1 center and the Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association was approved. Kent King was appointed to the Delaware County Rural Zoning Commission, and John Cruise was appointed to the Delaware-Morrow Mental Health and Recovery Services Board. A Lead Safe Program contract was awarded to Delaware-based Gandee & Associates; and Woolpert Inc. received an agreement for engineering services related to the widening of South Old State Road.
• Kelly Tennant was recognized for 21 years of service to the Delaware County Auditor’s Office at the start of the March 11 meeting. A generator was purchased for the 9-1-1 center. In Genoa Township, right-of-way acquisition services were approved for the Big Walnut/Tussic Street roads and South Old 3C Highway project; along with ditch maintenance for the 42.79-acre Ravines at Hoover. The vacation of a drainage easement for Conservation Club common access driveway in Brown Township was approved, as was a developer’s agreement for Berlin Bluffs sections 1-2 along Cheshire Road, and a change order to the Kilbourne Planned Commercial District.
• Among the resolutions approved on March 14 was a contract between the Delaware County Board of Elections and Westerville-based SCS Consulting Services, Ltd. to train BOE staff and poll officials.
• A disaster and state of emergency was declared by the commissioners at the outset of the March 18 meeting. “Delaware County, Ohio has been impacted by severe weather with tornado damage to homes and public infrastructure spanning across Scioto Township, Delaware Township, City of Delaware, Berlin Township, Berkshire Township, Village of Galena, and Trenton Township,” the resolution read. County staff and representatives from Berkshire, Berlin and Galena gave updates on cleanup from the March 14 natural disaster.
In other business, a subdivider’s agreement was approved for the sanitary sewer improvement plans for Northstar Prestwick Road. Hared Farms, Inc. was awarded the cash lease of county farmland for the season; and Ashland-based DR Lawncare LLC was awarded a contract for roadside mowing. A ditch maintenance petition was awarded for Cheshire Woods, a 55.4-acre subdivision in Berkshire Township. A cooperative agreement was made with Union County for the resurfacing of Moore and Watkins roads.
• Rachel Layne-Schaffer was reappointed to the Ohio Children’s Trust Fund Central Ohio Child Abuse and Child Neglect Regional Prevention Council at the March 21 meeting. Chris Bauserman, Pat Blayney, Tracie Davies, Si Kille and Tom Price were reappointed to the county’s Transportation Improvement District. Lastly, the commissioners okayed a letter of support for Preservation Parks to apply for a grant to restore the Bicentennial Barn at McCammon Creek Park, which can be seen from Interstate 71.
• Blayney and Kille were also reappointed to the Evans Farm New Community Authority Board of Trustees on March 28. Plats of subdivision were approved for Howard Farms section four in Berlin Township.
The Board of Commissioners of Delaware County are President Gary Merrell, Vice President Barb Lewis and Commissioner Jeff Benton.
Assistant Editor Gary Budzak covers the eastern half of Delaware County and surrounding areas. He may be reached at [email protected].
