We wanted to catch readers up on what the Delaware County Board of Commissioners did the last three months of 2023.
First meeting on Oct. 2, commissioners learned that offices would start moving to the new Byxbe Campus on Oct. 6 and Oct. 13. The County Commissioners Association of Ohio got a tour of the new campus.
In other business, they forwarded with no objection to the Ohio Division of Liquor Control new licenses from Coastline Coffee Co. LLC at 7775 Dublin Road, Concord Township.
On Oct. 9, the commissioners heard public comment on an annexation petition of 230.7 acres of land in Brown and Delaware townships to the City of Delaware. Three people, including City Manager Tom Homan, spoke in favor of the annexation; and three people spoke against the annexation. “The Board of Commissioners did not vote on this item today,” the minutes said. “It will be addressed at a future session.”
That turned out to be on Oct. 12, where the commissioners approved the annexation, despite objections being filed by the townships in September. “The board hereby finds, upon review of the petition, that the petition meets each of the conditions specified in (the Ohio Revised Code),” the resolution stated.
A member of the public also spoke at the Oct. 12 meeting with “concerns on a possible development and access points, in Genoa Township near Redbank Road, questions on a parcel that the county purchase and what it may be used for in the future,” the minutes said. Also, Dawn Huston and Rob Riley were reappointed to the Berlin Meadows New Community Authority.
The Delaware County Transportation Improvement District “will be working with Licking County on receipt of state funding for projects in the area of South County Line Road and Fancher Road due to Intel,” minutes said.
Cooperative Project Agreements for improvements recommended by the county engineer were approved by the commissioners on Oct. 16. This means applications will be submitted to the Ohio Public Works Commission’s Roadway Grant Assistance Program by Brown (for Pittman Road), Genoa (Big Walnut Road), Harlem (Montgomery Road), Kingston (Todd Street), Liberty (Bean Oller Road), Orange (Bale Kenyon Road phase two), Porter (Moody Road), Scioto (Houseman Road), Thompson (Donovan and Welsh Road), Troy and Radnor townships (Buttermilk Hill Road); and the City of Delaware (Houk Road and Merrick Boulevard).
During their Thursday, Oct. 19 meeting, the commissioners declared Saturday, Oct. 21, as “a day of welcome for President Matt vandenBerg and his family and is a day of celebration for the 45th season of the Central Ohio Symphony.”
Matthew Akers was reappointed to the Delaware County Board of Building Appeals; as was Collin Howard for the county’s Board of Zoning Appeals; and Donna Meyer for the county’s Rural Zoning Commission; at the Oct. 23 commissioners meeting. They also wrote a letter of support for Delaware County Transit’s application for mobility management through the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission.
Annexation petitions were received by the commissioners on Oct. 26 for the annexation of 498 acres of land from Trenton Township, and 378.5 acres of land in Berkshire and Trenton townships, both to the City of Sunbury. The annexations of land from Berkshire and Trenton townships into the City of Sunbury were granted on Nov. 16. There were no objections.
Also on Oct. 26, Beth Easterday-Futryk and Benjamin Turner were reappointed to the county’s Transit Board. Two of the three commissioners said they had attended a ribbon cutting for Vertiv, a worldwide technology company with local facilities in the county.
The Board of Commissioners ended the month on Oct. 30 by hearing an update from Tiffany Maag, director of Environmental Services and Regional Sewer District. They also approved a lease agreement with the Delaware Soil and Water Conservation District for space in “the recently renovated Byxbe Building, which will improve customer service and consolidate operations with other county departments and agencies,” the resolution stated. The 139,484-square-foot facility is on 17.75 acres at 1610 State Route 521, Delaware. There was a ribbon cutting that day for the Byxbe Campus, and it was noted there was no debt to the county. Praise was given on the building by state officials, as well.
“The Board hereby appoints Jennifer Walraven as Clerk to the Board,” said the Nov. 2 minutes. “The Board hereby appoints Alison Glusich, Karen First, Justin Nahvi, Jane Hawes, Eric Weitz, Dawn Huston, and Brandy Wilson, as Deputy Clerks to the Board.”
The commissioners accepted public right-of-way for improvements to U.S. 36/S.R. 37 and Galena Road on Nov. 6. The Ohio Department of Transportation is making improvements to that intersection, including the addition of turn lanes and a new traffic signal, the minutes said. This will require the demolition of the existing building at the northeast corner of the intersection.
Among other matters, the commissioners recognized National Adoption Month on Nov. 9. “Whereas, more than 3,300 Ohio children currently are living in out-of-home settings and awaiting adoption, while in Delaware County, 29 children are residing in foster homes or other out-of-home settings; and Whereas, seven Delaware County children, ages 3 to 17, are awaiting adoption, with five of them matched with adoptive parents; and one youth, age 17, soon will be adopted into his forever family,” the resolution said.
The commissioners approved an agreement between the county and Berlin and Orange townships for improvements to Shanahan Road at the meeting on Nov. 13. The project is estimated to cost $6.71 million and will designate current township roads (Hollenback, Piatt and Shanahan) as county roads.
A lease agreement for the county’s Regional Planning Commission to have its offices in the Byxbe Building was approved by the commissioners on Nov. 16.
On Nov. 20, the commissioners approved the fiscal year 2024 appropriations. An annexation petition of 6.3 acres in Liberty Township to the City of Powell was received by the board on Nov. 27. The petition was granted on Dec. 14.
Nancy Kreuger was appointed as a member of the Delaware County Public Defender Commission on Nov. 30.
The commissioners decided on Dec. 4 they would meet in regular session in 2024 at 9:30 a.m. Mondays and Thursdays weekly (with exceptions for holidays) at 91 N. Sandusky St., Delaware. They also permitted Delaware County Sheriff’s Office Deputy David Johnson to care for the retiring police dog Essac.
The trio heard a presentation regarding an airport study on Dec. 11; as well as approving weight limit reductions on various roads in the county.
It was said at the Dec. 14 meeting that two of the three commissioners had attended a tour of the Intel property.
A calcium nitrate chemical supply contract was awarded to Evoqua Water Technologies for the Delaware County Regional Sewer District at the Dec. 18 meeting.
The final meeting of the year was on Dec. 21. Among other matters, they appointed Lisa Kraft as a member of the county’s Public Defender Commission; and Jill Love to the Transit Board. They also approved proceeding with improvements to Home Road and Green Meadows Drive east of U.S. Route 23 in Orange Township.
The commissioners are Jeff Benton, Barb Lewis and Gary Merrell.
Assistant Editor Gary Budzak covers the eastern half of Delaware County and surrounding areas. He may be reached at [email protected].
