The Delaware County Records Center was publicly recognized for its work during Monday’s county commission meeting.
Stephen Badenhop and Pari Swift from the Ohio Historical Records Advisory Board presented the 2015 Achievement Award to Christine Shaw, Delaware County records coordinator, and her staff to honor her office’s work in the area of maintaining records for the county.
“The Delaware County Records Center has created a one-stop location in the county for historical, county and archival records,” said Badenhop, who is the Union County Records Center and Archives coordinator. “(The center) has created an almost complete set of Delaware County records dating back to the founding of the county in 1808. The records has over the years demonstrated successful preservation techniques in microfilming and digital imaging, and has created two climate-controlled vaults for the preservation of microfilm records.”
Badenhop noted that the record center’s relocation to a new facility at 2079 U.S. 23 North has allowed for expansion of research and storage areas, which has made the center more accessible to the public.
“I’m so honored to be here because I’ve known Chris since I started at the Ohio Historical Society in 2000,” Swift said while presenting a plaque to Shaw. “I’m extremely proud to present this today.”
Shaw, who has been employed by the county since 1991, was joined by records technicians Megan Henry, Alison Miller and Sharrie Doubikin for the presentation.
“I’d like to thank the commissioners and (assistant county administrator) Dawn (Huston) and (county administrator) Tim (Hansley) for all your support as we grow and try to take care of the county records in the best feasible way possible,” Shaw said.
Henry has been on the Delaware County Records Center staff since 2003. Miller joined in 2012 and Doubikin was hired in 2014.
According to its website, the Ohio Historical Records Advisory Board is the central body in the state for historical records planning. The group’s membership includes individuals from public and private archives, records offices and research institutions. All members are appointed by the governor. The Ohio History Connection’s Archives/Library Division has administrative oversight of the board.
Commissioners approved bid documents and setting a rebid date for the village of Galena Clean Ohio Trail Fund-Galena Brick Trail Project. According to economic development coordinator Jenna Jackson, the bidding process for the project was originally opened in July, but all of the bids returned exceeded the bid specifications by more than 10 percent of the county engineer’s recommendation.
In light of that occurrence, Jackson said the economic development office petitioned the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for an extension of the project through Oct. 31, 2016. ODNR granted the extension.
Sealed bid proposals will be accepted at the Delaware County commissioners’ office until 11 a.m. on Dec. 10. Bids will be opened and read at that time.
A pre-bid meeting is scheduled for 11 a.m. Dec. 1 at the parking lot for the trail on North Walnut Street in Galena. Attendance at the pre-bid meeting is not mandatory.
The trail project will involve paving a 10-foot wide section of the former railroad bed from Dustin Road to Holmes Street in Galena. New access to Dustin Road and a new bridge deck over Little Walnut Creek will be constructed.
Also during Monday’s meeting, commissioners approved recommendations from the county engineer’s office for a series of land purchases for rights of way. The five purchases totaled $12,114. Three of the five rights of way will be used for the Home and Steitz roads project. The other two purchases were in regard to the Panhandle Road bridge project and widening of South Old State Road.
