At the January 18, 2017 meeting of the Clark County Commissioners, Marilyn Welker from People for Safe Water appealed to the commissioners for their support of a modified Plan 9a for the Tremont City Barrel Fill. Commissioner Richard Lohnes will represent the commission at a meeting to be held on Monday, January 23, 2017 at 3:30 p.m. at the Clark County Combined Health District. The meeting will include the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Director Craig Butler and Division of Environmental Response and Revitalization (DERR) Chief Mike Proffitt to discuss modifications to the current Plan 9a. The original plan (Plan 4a) to clean up the Tremont City landfill included removing all of the 300,000 gallons of hazardous waste at the site; however, the cost to do so would have been approximately $55 million. The EPA proposed a second plan (Plan 9a) which calls for reburying some of the waste material. Welker and her group People for Safe Water opposed Plan 9a because they wanted all of the material removed. People for Safe Water has now softened their position as long as the EPA is willing to include in Plan 9a recommendations made by three groups.

First, in 2014 Tremont City Barrel Fill Working Group recommended a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) double liner with leak detection and leachate collection to replace the original slurry wall.

Second, Welker wants the plan to include the June 2016 recommendation by the Army Corps of Engineers to add stabilization agents to the reburied waste.

Third, Welker wants the plan to include the recommendation by Tetra Tech to remove 997 barrels containing volatile organic compounds (VOC) which include benzene, carbon tetrachloride, chlorobenzene, chloroform, 1,4-dichlorobenzene 1,2-diccloroetheand, 1,1-dichloroethene, methyl ethyl ketone, tretrachloroethene, trichloroethene,, and vinyl chloride. These chemicals are highly mobile and highly toxic.

In addition, Welker asked that the commissioners support placement of the site on the National Priorities List for Superfund Cleanup as this would assure compliance, accountability and public disclosure.

The commissioners agreed to support the proposed modifications to Plan 9a.

In addition, Charles Patterson of the Clark County Combined Health District asked the commissioners to consider allowing his department to accept debit and credit cards for payment in the office. He said, “Our clients come in to get birth certificates and death certificates and don’t realize we only take cash. The documents cost $22 each. They may need multiple copies and simply don’t carry that much cash on them. It would make our jobs so much easier if we accepted credit cards.”

Clerk Megan Lokai responded that the county is investigating allowing all of the departments to use credit cards, which would be extended to the health district as well. She promised to notify Patterson when it would be available.

In regular business, the commissions approved an increase in the contract with Northwoods Consulting Partners, Inc. by $225,000 to extend the contract for an additional year for Department of Job and Family Services (DJFS). The contract is effective through February 28, 2018.

For the Sheriff’s Office, the commissioners authorized a contract with Madison Township for dispatching services for $8,766.12 effective January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2017.

They also authorized a law enforcement contract for $405,314.19 with the City of New Carlisle effective January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2017.

In addition, the commissioners instructed the Clerk to advertise for bids for the 2017 unit prices for asphalt, ready mix concrete and aggregate. The bids are due in the Commissioners’ Office by February 2, 2017 by 10:00 a.m.

At the recommendation of County Administrator Jennifer Hutchinson, the commissioners adopted the 2017 Appropriations Budget. The total budget includes $178,414,176 consisting of $43,373,256 for the general fund and $135,040,920 for all other funds/

Last, the commissioners approved a 2% cost of living increase for all non collective bargaining unit employees effective January 16, 2017.

The next meeting of the Clark County Commissioners is scheduled for January 25, 2017 at 8:30 a.m. in the Commissioners’ Conference Room at 50 E Columbia Street

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