County hears OneOhio update

TIFFIN — At the Seneca County Commissioners' meeting Thursday, the board heard an update from Mircea Handru, executive director of the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board about OneOhio grant applications for Region 17. Seneca County is in Region 17 along with Wood, Ottawa, Sandusky, Hancock, Hardin, Wyandot and Crawford counties. Handru is Seneca County's representative and was elected by the region as its chair. He was elected to serve two more years in that position. Back in March, OneOhio announced it would begin accepting grants for the 2024 regional grant cycle with applications due May 3. The organization said it would allocate up to $51 million in this year's grant cycle. For-profits, non-profits and government entities applied for the funds. "Our region had available $1,608,771," Handru said. "Our region received 51 applications for a total amount of $9,638,31. We had a committee of seven region members to look at the applications and approved 18 applications to receive either full or partial funding." Region 17 was the first region to complete the application review process, the first to pass the expert panel review process and the first to complete the OneOhio grant committee process. Eight of the 18 approved applications are set to be voted on at next week's meeting of OneOhio's statewide foundation. In other business Pastor Virginia Park of Pleasant Ridge United Methodist Church, also known as Egbert's Church, attended the meeting to request that the commissioners issue a proclamation to recognize the church's 200th anniversary. She also invited the commissioners and the public to the church's 200-year celebration. The celebration is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sept. 29, at Pleasant Ridge United Methodist Church, 3721 N SR 101, Tiffin. The commissioners told Park they would get back to her on the proclamation. Marisa Huss of Destination Seneca County also attended the meeting to discuss America 250, a non-partisan initiative to celebrate the nation's 250th anniversary in 2026. "Ohio has its own state commission, and its goal is to try to get representation from all 88 counties in the state of Ohio to plan events, host activities and to be a designated community to celebrate America 250," she explained. "The designation community would form a committee with different stakeholders coming together to celebrate Ohio's history and its impact on the American landscape." Becoming an America 250 community is free, requiring an application and a resolution passed by the commissioners. Each community then designates one elected official or organization. Huss explained that once the commissioners approve the resolution, Destination Seneca County would work to form the America 250 committee to become part of statewide initiatives. The committee would be made up of elected officials for Seneca County, Tiffin and Fostoria along with other local leaders. The commissioners approved Huss to apply for Seneca County to become an America 250 community with a resolution to be passed later. Other business The commissioners passed the following supplemental appropriations. $288,026.15 to the County and Township Road Reconstruction Grant fund for contracts and projects $1,600 to the Mental Health and Recovery Services Grant fund for salaries $23.20 to the Mental Health and Recovery Services Grant fund for Medicare $224 to the Mental Health and Recovery Services Grant fund for PERS A $32,281.89 adjustment to the Mental Health and Recovery Services Grant fund for contract services A $19,931.03 adjustment to the Probation Funding Grant fund for contract services A $49,061 adjustment to the T-CAP Grant fund for contract services The commissioners also passed the following resolutions. Authorizing the memorandum of understanding for the Vanguard-Sentinel Career and Technology Centers School District school resource officer on behalf of the Seneca County Sheriff's Office Authorizing the contract agreement for adult education instruction with Vanguard-Sentinel Career and Technology Centers' Aspire program on behalf of the Seneca County Sheriff's Office Authorizing a contract services agreement with NCOESC to provide all necessary and appropriate staff and instruction for the Seneca County Youth Center Amending journal 93, page 461 authorizing the Seneca County Auditor's Office to utilize credit card for expenditures Appointing Dennis Snay to the Allen Eiry Advisory Committee as the designee for the Seneca County Board of Commissioners Authorizing payment of sales tax on Hostgator invoice The next commissioners' meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. Aug. 15, at the Seneca County Commissioners' Office, 111 Madison St., Tiffin.