Veterans and horses play soccer together during a recent Stockhands Horses for Healing event.
Courtesy | Stockhands
The Delaware County Board of Commissioners approved a letter of support for the Stockhands Horses for Healing’s request to partner with The Country Club at Muirfield Village Foundation (TCCMV) in Dublin at its meeting on Sept. 11.
“Stockhands is a place where human and animal relationships can flourish through effective and creative equine-assisted therapeutic services,” said the nonprofit organization’s website (www.stockhands.org). Stockhands Horses for Healing is located at 3788 Olentangy River Road.
Last week on Dec. 13, it was National Day of the Horse in the U.S.
TCCMV’s webpage said its mission is “helping children with special needs in central Ohio.”
At the outset of the Sept. 11 meeting, the commissioners welcomed Lauren Yankanin, the new county emergency communications director. The commissioners also approved:
• Grants of $40,000 to Orange Township and $14,671.25 to Liberty Township for recreational trails, as recommended by the Trail Committee, which administers the county’s Trail Assistance Program.
• The purchase of 11 2023 Ford Police SUVs at $62,906 each from Statewide Ford-Lincoln-Mercury, Inc., for the County Sheriff’s Office. The office said it collected fines and costs of $53,109.60 for the preceding year.
• The Eagle Creek sanitary sewer subdivider’s agreement for section 1 phase 1a (47 units). The 85-acre Pulte Group property in Sunbury will include 483 residential lots, said surveyors ms consultants, inc.
• Drainage maintenance petition and ditch maintenance assessments for Slate Ridge Residential, 106 acres in Orange Township; and The District at Berkshire, 22 acres in Berkshire Township.
• Adopting updates to the Delaware County Personnel Policy Manual in regard to the Americans with Disabilities Act.
For the second of five meetings for the month, the commissioners approved the following on Sept. 14:
• The Peterson Construction Company as the managers-at-risk for plant upgrades at the Northstar Water Reclamation Facility (NWRF) near Little Walnut Creek. A report issued in 2021 by the county’s Regional Sewer District said NWRF “was initially constructed in 2007 to serve the Northstar community but was out of service until December 2016. In February 2017, rehabilitations were completed around the existing tanks and (the district) accepted ownership of NWRF… Currently, NWRF treats an average daily flow rate of 0.022 mgd.”
• Group insurance coverage for 2024 through Anthem, Delta and VSP.
On Sept. 18, the commissioners continued their tradition of holding their Monday morning session at the Delaware County Fairgrounds, where Fair Board President Chip Thomson welcomed them. In keeping with the event, they approved resolutions posthumously honoring harness racing authority Dave Brower with the Little Brown Jug Joseph Neville Memorial Award; and Robert “Bob” Schmitz as the 38th Little Brown Jug Wall of Fame honoree. The Jug had a million dollar purse this year.
The three commissioners — Jeff Benton, Barb Lewis and Gary Merrell — then heard from Delaware County Junior Fair members. In their reports, the commissioners said “support of the hotel bed tax made funding for improvements to the fairgrounds possible. Grandstand work in phases. Phase one finished for this year (updated restrooms), next phase seating.”
The following week on Sept. 25, the commissioners approved a new prevention, retention and contingency assistance program for the Department of Job and Family Services. An update was also given on the state’s new Department of Children and Youth. According to ohio.gov, “The Ohio Department of Children and Youth’s mission is to promote positive, lifelong outcomes for Ohio youth through early intervention, quality education, and family support programs.”
The commissioners also approved two agreements (water user’s and backflow prevention) with Del-Co Water Company, Inc. at the Olentangy Environmental Control Center, 10333 Olentangy River Road, Powell.
Lastly on Sept. 28, the commissioners appointed Gordon McDonald as a member of the Delaware-Morrow Mental Health & Recovery Services Board. They later reconvened to view via video a drainage maintenance petition in Thompson Township. The first hearing on the proposed improvement took place on Dec. 11 in the board office at 91 N. Sandusky St.
Assistant Editor Gary Budzak covers the eastern half of Delaware County and surrounding areas. He may be reached at [email protected].
