[This transcript was generated automatically from audio using AI and hasn't been reviewed by a person -- it can contain mistakes, including plausible-sounding sentences that were never actually said. Treat it as a starting point, not a verbatim record.]

[0:00] It's now past 9.30, Monday, April of 12th. I'd like to call this Butler County Commissioner's
[0:08] meeting to order. May we have the roll call, please?
[0:11] Commissioner Rogers.
[0:12] Here.
[0:13] Commissioner Dixon.
[0:14] Here.
[0:15] Commissioner Carpenter.
[0:17] Everyone, please stand and join us in the pledge.
[0:33] We have a motion to excuse Commissioner Carpenter. Is she going to be on the phone?
[0:39] She is.
[0:40] She is on the phone?
[0:41] No.
[0:42] So moved.
[0:43] Thank you.
[0:44] Commissioner Rogers.
[0:45] Yes.
[0:46] Commissioner Dixon.
[0:47] Yes.
[0:48] Yes.
[0:49] Motion to approve the meeting.
[0:52] Oh, yeah. I make a motion to approve the minutes of April 5th.
[0:57] Second.
[0:58] Commissioner Rogers.
[0:59] Yes.
[1:00] Commissioner Dixon.
[1:01] Yes.
[1:02] County Administrators report.
[1:03] Thank you.
[1:04] I just want to give a brief update on various sources of finding that are affecting your
[1:09] capital projects this year, specifically capital improvement, CARES, and then further
[1:15] down the year, the community development block grant COVID money, and also the American Rescue
[1:19] Plan Act money.
[1:20] Over the next several weeks, staff will be processing for the Board's approval projects
[1:24] that are being funded by various sources. As I said, CIP and CARES specifically, and
[1:29] then further in the year would be the other revenue sources. Projects will only be
[1:33] progressed to the agenda at a minimum majority of the Board's supports and will be mindful
[1:37] to give you updates on the expense of the allotment that you've approved for the 2021
[1:42] year.
[1:43] For today's meeting, there are two capital improvement projects under consideration from
[1:47] the $4.4 million that the commissioners approved during your 2021 budget process.
[1:53] The first, which is placed on as a transfer from the capital project fund to the
[2:00] sheriff's capital fund, would be upgrades to the sheriff's jail management system.
[2:06] The vendor is Tritech, and then also the commissioners are going to consider through your
[2:11] consent agenda approving an amendment to juvenile courts to receive a grant for
[2:17] replacement of boilers and the JV detention and rehabilitation centers.
[2:21] This grant will reimburse the general fund about two-thirds.
[2:25] So the total cost is $137,000, but to be reimbursed to the general fund capital
[2:31] projects, as I said, two-thirds, a little over $100,000.
[2:39] I'm speaking with the other offices to discuss the commissioners' 2021 CIP
[2:43] projects. I have indicated to all of the offices that the commissioners
[2:47] prefer to approve the project-by-project basis of the CIP recommendations and not
[2:53] just the overall plan. So if it was listed, it doesn't necessarily mean it's
[2:56] getting approved. Continuing with CARES.
[2:59] You did have an allotment from 2020 that was transferred into the CARES funds,
[3:04] continued into the CARES fund, about $6.5 million.
[3:07] Regarding that, for today's agenda, there is an extended lease for storage
[3:12] of the stockpile and conducting the vaccine clinics at the fairgrounds
[3:19] in the amount of PEO and the amount of $50,000 to extend that lease, although
[3:24] it's only going to be about $30,000. And then continuing next meeting,
[3:29] we will have for the commissioners' consideration additional funding for
[3:33] shared harvests so that they could provide to the other food banks in
[3:36] Butler County and other $100,000. Since the last public discussion of
[3:40] CARES funding, it's my understanding, Commissioner Stixon and Rogers,
[3:43] that you've met independently with Judge Spade and better understand the
[3:48] need for the consolidation of the two courtrooms. And if that is,
[3:52] the majority of the board would like to continue to process that project.
[3:57] We certainly can prepare that for a future agenda.
[4:00] So I just wanted to give you an update on that.
[4:04] Yeah, right.
[4:06] Okay.
[4:08] All right, too.
[4:09] Thank you.
[4:11] Yeah, I know you.
[4:17] We have with us two distinct gentlemen.
[4:22] Riley Township, Mr. Schwab, Mr. Miller.
[4:25] Thank you for coming.
[4:27] We're honored to have you.
[4:32] Both are longtime trustees and Riley residents.
[4:44] We will now move on to finance.
[4:47] Right.
[4:49] Yep.
[4:58] Good morning, commissioners.
[4:59] Angel Burton, finance director.
[5:01] Fun story about Riley Township.
[5:03] I grew up in Indiana with Ross and when I took driver's ed,
[5:07] we all wanted to drive through Riley's haunted cemetery.
[5:11] So absolutely not.
[5:14] Never, never.
[5:16] Not during driver's ed anyway.
[5:18] That happened later.
[5:22] All right.
[5:23] So before you commissioners, you have this week's transfers and appropriations.
[5:27] We do have two general fund transfers within current budget.
[5:31] One is for the sheriff's department's record management system,
[5:35] which miss bit boy coat address, which is part of the CIP.
[5:39] And the other is just a thousand dollar transfer for the auditor's office.
[5:44] And then we have an increase in the motor vehicle tax fund for the
[5:48] engineer's office of $500,000.
[5:52] There are nine purchase orders over $25,000 and one change order over
[5:57] 25,000.
[5:59] Any questions for me this week?
[6:02] I thought engineers is a change or that's.
[6:07] That is an increase, but it is in one of their special revenue funds.
[6:10] It's in the motor vehicle license tax fund.
[6:12] So it does not impact general fund.
[6:14] All right.
[6:17] Yeah.
[6:19] For the questions, then I'll make a motion to approve the finance
[6:23] report as read.
[6:26] Okay.
[6:27] Commissioner Rogers.
[6:28] Yes.
[6:29] Commissioner Dixon.
[6:30] Yes.
[6:31] Thank you.
[6:33] Under community development, there are two items and you do have
[6:36] guests in the audience if the board would like to take a break and
[6:40] conduct those comments.
[6:42] Under community development, there are two items, both dealing with
[6:45] community development block grants and home funds.
[6:47] The first being at your last meeting, you conducted a public hearing
[6:51] or public, excuse me, presentation for the home funds and the CDBG
[6:55] projects for 2021.
[6:57] At this point, David and Desmond are requesting the commissioners
[7:00] approve the housing opportunities made equal investments,
[7:03] partnership program, the home and community development block grant.
[7:06] 2021 action plan and authorize the plan to be submitted to the
[7:10] Department of Housing and Urban Development.
[7:12] And then also in your 2020 program community home funds,
[7:18] there was a recommendation the commissioners did approve to
[7:22] fund the YWCA Hamilton permanent supportive housing project on
[7:27] Grand Boulevard.
[7:29] At this point, Desmond and David are requesting the commissioners
[7:32] approve and execute a contract with the YWCA Hamilton for
[7:35] development of 45 multi-family permanent supportive housing rental
[7:39] units, consistent with the allocation granted in the
[7:42] resolution 20-08, 01065 and conditions of the board of
[7:47] commissioners in a amount not to exceed $400,000 in federal
[7:51] home funds effective April 13, 2021 through May 31, 2023.
[7:56] And I'm sure the board does recall but one primary condition
[8:00] was that this would be the last source of funding into the project.
[8:03] They would first reap benefit from the state funds,
[8:06] the city of Hamilton allocation, Mars is also allocated funding,
[8:10] and Butter County is the last funding in.
[8:15] Commissioner, Mr. President, would you like to pause now and
[8:17] receive any comments or would you like to continue with the
[8:19] discussion?
[8:21] Would you like to come up and say anything on either of those
[8:25] two items?
[8:31] Wendy.
[8:33] Good morning commissioners.
[8:34] My name is Wendy Waters Cannell and I'm the executive director
[8:37] CEO for the YWCA Hamilton.
[8:39] Commissioner Dixon, Commissioner Rogers, on behalf of the
[8:42] Board of Trustees, we want to thank you from the bottom of
[8:45] our hearts for considering this funding.
[8:47] It is a transformational moment in the YWCA's history as we will
[8:51] build a brand new campus.
[8:53] I also want to highlight this morning in addition to the 45
[8:56] units of permanent supportive housing.
[8:58] In the past year we have seen a tripling in the number of
[9:02] crisis calls to our domestic violence shelter and this
[9:05] development which at the end of the day will be over $13
[9:08] million in development will also include a domestic
[9:12] violence shelter that will double the size that we currently
[9:15] have.
[9:16] And so I thank you so much for the belief in this mission and the
[9:20] support in its future.
[9:23] Great.
[9:24] Thank you for everything you do because you've taken the lead on
[9:26] this.
[9:27] I'm glad to be able to participate.
[9:29] Thank you.
[9:30] Thank you.
[9:31] Thank you.
[9:32] Any questions at all, sir?
[9:34] All right.
[9:35] Thank you.
[9:36] What are you doing?
[9:38] We have the official groundbreaking coming up this
[9:40] week which is just a virtual groundbreaking but we will
[9:43] close on this deal on April 21st.
[9:46] I'm sorry.
[9:47] I will miss it.
[9:49] I will be out of town.
[9:51] No worries.
[9:52] We'll keep you on our thoughts.
[9:54] Yeah, we'll be there.
[9:56] Thank you.
[9:57] Thank you.
[9:58] All right.
[9:59] Thank you.
[10:00] Anybody else want to speak to the CDBG
[10:02] monies, projects?
[10:04] Nick, anything?
[10:06] You drive all the way this way and not say something.
[10:11] I would like to thank you for all the block grants over the
[10:14] years.
[10:15] This is kind of like the completion of what we're doing down
[10:19] there.
[10:20] The paving of that walk path.
[10:22] I mean, we got, you know, support from Tri Health, from
[10:26] Coalition for the Healthy Community Cincinnati Reds.
[10:30] We've done so much down there in the walking path when
[10:34] they talked about putting that in.
[10:36] I couldn't believe it was going to be used.
[10:38] It's just totally amazing.
[10:40] On Tim's expectations are my, how many people use a walking
[10:45] path?
[10:46] And it's just pressed stone to get the base in.
[10:48] If we could get the block grant to pave it.
[10:51] And then certainly, well, you know, I mean, we've come so far
[10:56] from the time in the first block grant, I think was the
[10:59] tear down the old gym that the whole ceiling fell after
[11:02] basketball game.
[11:03] Yeah.
[11:04] And so we've come a long way, but this is kind of a
[11:08] wind up.
[11:09] I certainly appreciate it.
[11:11] He's approved the funding of that project.
[11:15] Anything.
[11:19] Our official spokesman right there.
[11:23] He's always been mine too.
[11:25] You got to watch.
[11:26] It's carried away.
[11:29] Okay.
[11:30] Thanks, Nick.
[11:34] So continue under the commissioner's administrative
[11:36] offices.
[11:37] Several years ago, the state mandated for Butler County to
[11:40] house at five prisoners.
[11:42] And since that time, the mandate is no longer in place,
[11:46] but the sheriff and the courts agree, and assuming the
[11:50] commissioners agree as well that the targeted community
[11:53] alternatives for prison grant has been a benefit beneficiary to
[11:57] the, but we're kind of beneficiary of that grant and
[12:00] would like to continue through this memorandum of
[12:02] understanding process.
[12:03] So at this time, the common please and the sheriff's office
[12:07] requesting the commissioners approve and authorize the
[12:09] execution of an MOU among the board of commissioners, the
[12:12] general division of common please and the sheriff for the
[12:15] provisions and application of the targeted community
[12:18] alternatives for prison T cap grant effective July 1,
[12:21] 2021 and June 30th, 2023.
[12:24] The MOU outlines the responsibility of all the
[12:27] parties, namely the sheriff and the courts and also the
[12:31] itemized expenses for about the 2.1 million it will
[12:34] receive.
[12:35] Approve an engagement letter with national evaluation
[12:38] consultant's ink for professional services to evaluate
[12:41] market and economic feasibility and probability
[12:43] conditions in an amount not to exceed $15,000 effective
[12:47] April 13th, 2021 and authorized the county
[12:50] administrator to utilize the form and execute the
[12:52] engagement letter with prosecutors approval as
[12:55] informed.
[12:56] The commissioners although you have not, it's been
[12:59] publicly known that the Liberty Township Board of
[13:01] Trustees has requested financial consideration from
[13:03] the Boulder County commissioners for their Millican
[13:05] road interchange project.
[13:07] Although the commissioners at this time have not yet
[13:09] authorized or allocated any funding source for that
[13:12] project.
[13:13] You might understand the board would like to validate
[13:16] its Liberty Townships development schedule and
[13:19] valuations for property that they are planning on
[13:22] in the general vicinity.
[13:24] This is what this valuation study would do.
[13:27] And also prove an engagement letter with Julian and
[13:30] Grubb Incorporated.
[13:31] These are the independent auditors that have been
[13:34] exercising their activities in Boulder County for the
[13:37] last 10 years.
[13:38] They are to perform and conduct the
[13:40] Boulder County audit for fiscal period beginning
[13:42] January 1, 2020 and ending December 31, 2020, not to
[13:46] exceed $116,000 effective immediately with
[13:49] board of commissioners approval until services
[13:52] are satisfactory completed.
[13:54] Then in our certificates past 15 days,
[13:57] administration has one, JFS has three and the care
[14:00] facility has 10.
[14:02] JFS would like to hire a debentary for the
[14:05] position of eligibility referral specialist two at
[14:08] $17 per hour and this would be effective April 19,
[14:11] 2021.
[14:12] Continuing JFS has a request for approved online
[14:15] local training expense for $1,275 for what appears
[14:20] to be over a dozen employees to train,
[14:23] excuse me, to attend virtual annual training
[14:25] conference, Ohio Job and Family Services on May
[14:28] 6, 2021 and Hamilton County.
[14:31] Ohio means jobs,
[14:33] approved and execute a memorandum of understanding
[14:35] with Claremont County Job and Family Services and
[14:38] Warren County Board of Commissioners on behalf of
[15:00] And responsibilities of the parties as it relates to the Ohio means jobs collaborative sub grant agreement and this would be effective April 13th, 2021 through June 30th, 2022 with two one year extension options.
[15:13] This is basically, but our county's Ohio means job would be the operator for area 12 water and sewer has two items. Release bond for sanitary sewer and water extensions for rank farm.
[15:27] Westchester township and also approve public water and sanitary extensions for to Oaks of Westchester section six Westchester township.
[15:39] Those are your commission department items.
[15:41] No, just one one comment about the T camp.
[15:51] From what I understand those applications for the, for the, for the people, I think address somewhat, which are hearing in the news about cities and and
[16:08] municipalities, which are cutting the funding and justice programs. And I think that our counties members have addresses in the in the past and you know, continue and that's why we think that justice prevails the way that we're running things.
[16:35] So, with that, I make a motion to accept the resolutions presented for the commissioners departments.
[16:46] Commissioner Rogers.
[16:47] Yes, Mr. Dixon.
[16:54] Okay.
[16:55] Yeah, right.
[16:56] No, good.
[16:57] Go ahead.
[16:57] So, then analysis certificates past 15 days, developmental disabilities has one, the clerk of courts, one corner, one EMA one and the treasurer has one regarding issues of then and now certificates over $1,000.
[17:12] The clerk of courts has one, the engineer's office has one and the prosecutor's office has one.
[17:19] I am under a courts and legal system now area courts on page four area courts would like to have the commissioners approve an online.
[17:27] Local training expense and the amount of $150 for a judge and a magistrate to attend the 39th 12th appellate district judicial conference and appellate stem seminar webinar conference on April 30th, 2021, a juvenile court.
[17:41] I spoke to this during administrators report. This is the amendment to a sub grant agreement in order to accept the grant to replace the boiler systems execute amendment number eight to agreement of sub lease for grant award with a how department of youth services for replacement
[17:56] boilers in the juvenile detention center and the juvenile rehabilitation center to pay from and reimburse to various funds in the amount of $109,600 under the engineer's office.
[18:09] Receive bids and bid bonds for the 2021 black mat application on various township roads also approve various special hauling permits as recommended by the county engineer.
[18:20] The sheriff has three local training expenses, the first being an online for $900 for the dog wardens to attend the humane society agent training, April 12th through the 16th this month, local training expense, the amount of $249 for a deputy to attend interdiction mastermind, May 10th, 2021 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
[18:42] And the last of the three local training expenses in the amount of $695 to attend it, Mike, not to attend the trilogy leadership series may 17th through 21st next month Hamilton, Ohio.
[18:56] Sheriff is also requesting the commissioners advertise for the purchase of safety equipment for deputy vehicles received by May 4th, 2021. This is a project that was funded a couple meetings ago are a part of a project.
[19:10] And lastly, the sheriff is requesting authorization to apply for the 2020 coronavirus emergency supplemental funding program amount of $66,200 with no matching funds for the purpose of reimbursement of coronavirus expenses.
[19:26] Let's conclude those offices.
[19:31] I'm new question then I make a motion to approve the resolution presented for the office holders and agencies.
[19:38] I think commissioner Rogers, yes, commissioner Dixon. Yes.
[19:46] Give anyone in the audience would like to make any further comments, public comments.
[19:54] Seeing none, you're going to move on future meeting scheduled April the 19th and April the 26th, 930, these chambers announcements. We have a road closure in Ross.
[20:06] Anil road beginning April the 12th.
[20:09] The color replacement style road beginning April the 12th will close.
[20:17] April 16th for color replacement motion to enter into executive session and for the purpose of discussing the appointment, employment, dismissal, discipline, promotion, demotion, compensation of public employer, official or investigation charges, complaints against the public employee.
[20:36] Second, commissioner Rogers, yes, commissioner Dixon. Yes.
[20:43] That will conclude today's meeting. We won't have any business after the executive session to to discuss.
[20:50] So take a motion to move to the session. So moved.
[20:55] Okay.
[20:57] Commissioner Rogers.