At the December 29, 2016 meeting of the Clark County Commissioners, county personnel and administrators celebrated the service of retiring Commissioner John Detrick and Commissioner David Herier with proclamations honoring their commitment to county leadership. Detrick retires after 20 years as county commissioner.

In honor of Detrick, Department of Job and Family Services Virginia Martycz said, “It has been a pleasure working with you. You have been very supportive of my department and I really appreciate all the work you have done for Clark County.”

Auditor John Federer added, “All the stories you know about New Carlisle, Enon, Catawba, and the rest of the county will be greatly missed. Not only are they somewhat factual, they are very entertaining. The people you know and introduced me to will never be forgotten. Your attitude as a cheerleader, your lightness and frivolity are unbelievable. The County won’t be the same without you here.”

County Prosecutor Andy Wilson remarked, “John, your success is not measured by problems solved, but by how you shaped the people you leave behind. Your positive energy inspired me to be that person for others.”

Although Commissioner David Herier only served on the Board of Commissioners for a little less than two years, he will be sorely missed as well. Commissioner Richard Lohnes said, “David, you were a breath of fresh air. You asked excellent questions, figured things out quickly, and provided excellent insight on legal matters. You have done a remarkable job and are truly appreciated by the whole staff.”

Federer added, “Thank you David. You brought stability and calmness and got everybody to work together.”

In regular business, the commissioners authorized a Development and Use Agreement with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Board of Clark County Commissioners and the City of Springfield to use and operate the existing crime lab facility located on the second floor of the Public Safety Building. The Ohio Attorney General’s Office will remodel the existing facility. The remodeled lab will serve as a satellite lab for the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. The project has been a long time in coming and will allow faster turnaround time for criminal investigations for both the city police department and the Sheriff’s office. According to Wilson, the new facility is “A win for the county and a win for the community. The information from forensic investigations will be available locally and prosecutors, investigators, and lawyers will be able to meet in person with the forensic scientists to discuss and review the results directly.”

The commissioners authorized dispatching contracts for 911 services for German Township for $27,102.24, Moorefield Township for $43,023.24, Pike Township for $14,467.68, and Springfield Township for $42,212.40. According to Lohnes, “This is a major collaborative effort among the county and townships for 911 services. This will save each township $50,000 to $70,000 per year. It is a no-brainer for helping to save lives. Most of the call centers are 20 years old. In addition we are making major steps in acquiring information from cell phones to help locate the caller.” The contracts are effective January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2017.

They also authorized an agreement with the Humane Society Serving Clark County to provide facilities, materials, and services necessary for housing, feeding, caring for, destroying and disposing of any dogs seized by the County Dog Warden or the warden’s deputies. The agreement is effective January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2017.

For the Personnel Director, the commissioners authorized a contract with Marsh & McLennan Agency, LLC to provide public administration of the county’s new self-insurance program for $5,250 per month effective November 1, 2016.

For the Sheriff’s Office, the commissioners authorized a contract with Moorefield Township to provide law enforcement services for the township January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2017 for $202,042.70. Detrick added, “Moorefield Township has added the most new roof tops in the whole county. Kenton and Northridge are growing because of the township’s foresight.”

The commissioners set the date and time for the annual reorganization meeting for the Board of County Commissioners for Wednesday, January 11, 2017 at 8:30 a.m.

They also approved the 2017 Temporary Appropriations. A final budget for 2017 will be adopted in mid January 2017.

The next meeting of the Clark County Commissioners is scheduled for January 3, 2017 at 8:30 a.m. in the Commissioners’ /Conference Room.