I found the most interesting part of this day’s meetings to be the conference call meeting with Rob Radcliff of Resource Development Group on Economic Development Initiatives.  The Preble County Development Partnership was initially set up by the Preble County Chamber of Commerce. The group doing the fund raising was Resource Development of which Mr. Radcliff is the current representative. He may well have been the person who conducted the original interviews with 50 people. I was one of those original people interviewed.  One of the topics I covered was Goose Creek; my contention at the time was that Goose Creek was opposed by residents in the area and the project would be opposed and fought.  I have no idea if that information was passed along to the then county commission but the record of what happened reflects what I recall covering with the interviewer at the Preble County Chamber office in Eaton.

The Preble County Commission commitment of a $100,000 in-kind contribution to pay for the hiring and employment of an Economic Development Director was paid for by raising the Conveyance tax 1 mill. That commitment was to be for five years and after that the Partnership was supposed to be self supporting, it will not be.  I’ll site as proof the commission at the time did not “earmark” the money for economic development  as that would have committed the funds to that purpose.  As stated here by Commissioner Wesler that tax (and it is a tax) raises between $90,000 & $120,000 annually depending on the real estate market in Preble County.  Make no mistake raising the conveyance tax impacts that market with higher expense to conduct business and the transfer of property.  People do not have to live in Preble County.  When the cumulative tax burden becomes higher than other counties it should not be a surprise if some of those people choose other counties over Preble as a good bit of Preble also has high local income and sales taxes.  

I could go on but I’ll wait and hope for the public meeting that was alluded to on the audio record.

Preble County Commissioners

October 13, 2014

Three Commissioners in attendance

File 1

I. OPEN MEETING

II. CALL OF ROLL

III. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

IV. PRAYER

V. PUBLIC COMMENTS

VI. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

NOTE RECEIPT OF & CONSIDER APPROVAL BY SIGNING THE JOURNALIZATION & NOTE RECEIPT OF THE CD RECORDATION BOTH AS THE OFFICIAL MINUTES FOR THE OCTOBER 8, 2014 REGULAR SESSION MEETING

VII. APPROVAL OF VOUCHERS

NOTE RECEIPT OF & CONSIDER APPROVAL BY SIGNING THE VOUCHERS AS SUBMITTED BY THE COUNTY AUDITOR

3.13 minutes – 757 KB

File 2

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS

A. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF RES. #550-14-167

RE: AUTH. PAYMENT – CHILD SVS. ($5,939.70); OHIO CHILDREN SVS. FUND ($7,125.00); FAMILY & CHILDREN FIRST COUNCIL ($6,577.24; $2,571.34); JFS ($1,173.58)

B. NOTE RECEIPT OF (2) COURT ENTRIES FROM JUDGE DUES

RE: TRANSFER OF RECEIPTS – $2,370.00

C. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF RES. #551-14-167

RE: TRANSFER OF FUNDS – VARIOUS DEPTS.

D. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF RES. #552-14-167

RE: AUTH. EXPENDITURE – $2,764.07 – (2) NEW COMPUTER WORKSTATIONS – REA

E. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF RES. #558-14-167

RE: AUTHORIZING AN INCREASE IN THE CREDIT LIMIT OF A COUNTY CREDIT CARD – JFS

F. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF RES. #562-14-167

RE: MORAL OBLIGATION – RECORDER

CORRESPONDENCE & REPORTS

A. NOTE RECEIPT OF AN ANNEXATION PETITION

8  Minute mark   RE: PETITION FOR EXPEDITED ANNEXATION – 0.792 ACRES TO THE VILLAGE OF WEST ALEXANDRIA  (Gentleman in chamber who did not want to speak at "Public Comments")  He explains to Commissioner Robinson an Commissioner Wesler. They are apparently looking at a map as the man describes the issue. Commissioner Day is obviously already familiar with the topic.  Commissioner Day abstains and the annexation is approved 2 – 1.

B. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF RES. # 554-14-167

RE: APPROVING THE ANNEXATION OF CERTAIN REAL ESTATE TO THE VILLAGE OF WEST ALEXANDRIA, OHIO

C. NOTE RECEIPT OF (3) LETTERS FROM THE SHERIFF

RE: CONTRACTED PAY RATE ADJUSTMENT FOR THOMAS SHOLLY 14 years from $18.11  to  $18.12  , JOSH WING 14 years from $22.19  to  $22.20 & JAMIE GARRETT from $19.14  to  $19.14  – SHERIFF

D. NOTE RECEIPT OF A LETTER FROM JILL OBERDING, OHIO E.P.A. TO THE SANITARY ENGINEER

RE: 2013 OPERATIONAL REPORT – LANDFILL

E. NOTE RECEIPT OF & CONSIDER APPROVAL BY ADOPTING A REVISED SECTION OF THE PURCHASING MANUAL

RE: SECTION P – AGREEMENT/CONTRACT TERMS & CONDITIONS – CLARIFICATION OF CONTRACT, AMENDMENT, ADDENDUM & CHANGE ORDER APPROVAL

AGREEMENTS & CONTRACTS

A. NOTE RECEIPT OF & CONSIDER APPROVAL BY SIGNING AN AGREEMENT

RE: STORAGE RENTAL AGREEMENT W/ SAFE PLACE SELF STORAGE – $1,200.00 – SOLDIERS RELIEF

B. NOTE RECEIPT OF & CONSIDER APPROVAL BY SIGNING AN AGREEMENT

RE: COPIER MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT W/ LOUDY OFFICE MACHINES – $540.00 – JFS

C. NOTE RECEIPT OF & CONSIDER APPROVAL BY SIGNING A CONTRACT

RE: DISASTER RECOVERY PLAN AGREEMENT W/ EATON COMPUTER – $1,989.00 – CT. COMPUTERIZATION – CLERK OF CTS.

D. NOTE RECEIPT OF & CONSIDER APPROVAL BY SIGNING A CONTRACT

RE: POSTAGE PLUS MAINTENANCE CONTRACT W/ IMS OF DAYTON – $795.00 – JFS

TRAVEL REQUESTS

NOTE RECEIPT OF & CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE FOLLOWING TRAVEL REQUESTS:

A. RES. #553-14-167 – MICHELLE DAVIS, CINDY LEE, JODY BETSCHER, KASSIE PROFFITT & ALVIN BLOOMER – TASC  Cost not to exceed $100

B. RES. #555-14-167 – GARRY SPENCER – JFS  NO COST TO THE COUNTY

C. RES. #556-14-167 – DANIELLE PIERATT & KEVIN BOVEE – JFS  Cost not to exceed $20

It is different from a downtownsault.org discount cialis herniated disc on the conception that the later occurs mostly due to an injury or disease, but may also occur as a side-effect of prescriptions and dysfunctions related to diminished androgens or substantial estrogens levels.

D. RES. #557-14-167 – AMANDA BARGER & TA’SHAE HOLMAN – CSEA  Cost not to exceed $20

E. RES. #563-14-167 – TERRY PENDERGRAFT – VETERAN’S SVS.  Cost not to exceed $250

F. RES. #564-14-167 – HERB GIBSON, BRUCE BARNES, DAVE WILSON, BOB BENEKE & BILL SAMS – SOLDIER’S RELIEF  Cost not to exceed $2,000

G. RES. #565-14-167 – KEVIN BOVEE – CSEA  Cost not to exceed $1,287

15.75  Minute mark    Commissioner Robertson – Do you have anything more Connie?

Connie – Letter to the Payroll Clerk… eligible employee at JFS needs to be added to 4% raise.

18.75  Minute mark    EXECUTIVE SESSION – COMPENSATION OF A COUNTY EMPLOYEE

Exit no action taken.

Letter to the Payroll Clerk probationary rate adjustment for Ta'Shae Holman to $15.28

20.5  Minute mark    Commissioner Wesler on Commissioners Charity Ball.  

Commissioner Robertson – Governor is coming to the Historical Society today at 4:00.

West Alex had good OktoberFest.

22 minute mark on cd  

19.5 minutes – 4.53 MB

File 3

24  Minute mark   E.M.A. MONTHLY UPDATE

David Anderson.

Not reviewed.

42 minute mark on cd  

20.02 minutes – 4.58 MB

File 4

Office noise.

57.5   minute mark on cd  

15.34 minutes – 3.56 MB

File 5

ROB RADCLIFF, RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT GROUP – ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES (CONFERENCE CALLS)

This is worth a listen.   

Firm does fund raising, in this case the Preble County Development Partnership.  Last time out they were hired by the Chamber to set up the Partnership.

1 hr.  1  Minute mark   Coming to end of first five years. County is most major of "Major" investors.

1 hr.  3.5  Minute mark    Commissioner Day & Wesler think Partnership is headed down the right track. Commissioner Robertson leaning toward right track.

Positives & Negatives given by the Commissioners.

Commissioner Wesler lists – Better communications

Commissioner Day – waffles on answer.

Commissioner Robertson – More business retention visits needed.

1 hr.  9.5  Minute mark    Rob Radcliff feels there is a need for better communications.  Agrees with Commissioner Robertson on retention.

Rob Radcliff asks if Commissioners agree that things are some what better than they were five years ago. Commissioners Day & Wesler agree, Commissioner Robertson says somewhat better.  I'll chime in that this is a question leading/loaded as the county, state and country are all financially better off for the most part than five years ago and it has nothing to do with the Preble County Development Partnership.   

1 hr.  11.5  Minute mark    Director issue. Originally employee of the County and now the Partnership. Radcliff asks the commissioners what their logic was for making that decision. Commissioner Day felt that having the Economic Development Director as an employee of the county created "certain hurdles to get over and that was what we were running up against".

Commissioner Wesler – says the intent was to move her out of the commission office.

Let's cut to the chase; The Economic Development Director became a political hot potato that negatively impacted the ability of the commissioners to get re-elected.   

1 hr.  13.5  Minute mark   Asks about future funding from the county.

Commissioner Wesler mentions that the then commission passed a conveyance tax increase to fund the economic development effort. He estimates that it brings in from $90,000 – $120,000.  

Commissioner Robertson says she has been a commissioner two years and there has been no real discussion of what the future support is. Would like to see a list of accomplishments.

Commissioner Wesler feels that for the contribution the county gives "We see a lot more come back in benefits".

Commissioner Robertson …. would like to see real numbers….

I think this would be a good time to make clear that the initial obligation of the county was based on the Partnership being self financing in five years, the same five years that is now drawing to a close.   

Commissioner Day offers his view that networking outside the county has increased….

1 hr.  19.25  Minute mark   Radcliff – What do you see as the one or two or three biggest challenges to economic development in Preble County over the next three – four years.

Commissioner Day – available buildings and structure in all area to support that is lacking and workforce.

Commissioner Robertson agrees on the workforce issue – qualified workers.

Commissioner Wesler – mindset that does not want to change. Mentions I-70 passing through. Feels Lewisburg is the only community to capitalize on that.

Radcliff – Will be conducting interviews with about 25 people on future.

Some discussion among commission on meeting just held.

ADJOURN

1 hr.  26.3 minute mark on cd  

28.55 minutes – 6.62 MB