Board of Health votes to appeal ERAC judgment

TIFFIN — The Seneca County Board of Health voted to appeal a Jan. 29 Environmental Review Appeals Commission judgment at its regular meeting Thursday. The ruling favored WIN Waste Innovations regarding an appeal against conditions put on operating licenses for WIN in 2023 and 2024, naming and offering judgment on each of the 25 conditions. "WIN Waste has appealed the issues that it lost," Health commissioner Julie Richards said. " We have a legal right to appeal the issue that we lost." The board also voted to retain special council environmental attorney Jack Van Kley of Van Kley Law in a judgment regarding the board of health's December decision to deny WIN a 2025 operating license. WIN is now contesting that decision. Brian Ezyk, vice president of operations at WIN Waste, updated the board about the recent leachate spill at the landfill, saying over 1.1 million gallons of water as well as some ice had been contaminated but WIN was working diligently to contain and clean up the spill. Ezyk estimated the clean-up process would be completed by March 15 and soil and water testing would continue until they were sure the spill had been properly cleaned. He said he would also be copying landfill oversight director Harold Huffman on all communications with the Ohio EPA to "foster communication" between all three agencies. Ezyk then made a case that he believed some members of the board of health were operating on misinformation, but he was willing to be as transparent as possible. "We will open our doors to anyone who wants to see the facility," Ezyk said. "… You don't need appeals, you don't need legal counsel to get the information you need. We'll give it to you." In other news, the board voted to increase the Seneca County General Health District employee wages by 3% across the board after a 25-minute executive session. "You all do an amazing job," board vice president Bob Podach said. The wage increase excludes the county health commissioner, Julie Richards and employees currently on a probationary status until a time as those employees are not on probation. The board also voted to raise the wages of epidemiologist Kaitlyn Dennison by an extra $1.25 per hour, after she recently took on new responsibilities for the health district. Also at the meeting, the board approved the following action items: a resolution approving employment of Jennifer Peck-Maher as a full-time environmental health specialist in training. a resolution approving the administration fee for the home sewage treatment system grant program at $200 per system. a resolution for the appointment of special counsel Jack Van Kley at $275 per hour and not to exceed $200,000 per year retroactive to Jan. 1, 2025. a contract with Liamer Media LLC for website hosting and maintenance. a contract with Ohio Department of Health for HEPA vacuum equipment. a contract with the Board of directors of the Ottawa, Sandusky, Seneca counties joint solid waste district for landfill compliance inspections and well water collection and analysis for 2024, not to exceed $100,000. a contract with the Public Entities Pool of Ohio for annual liability insurance with a limit of $6,000,000.00 for $21,839. The next board of health meeting is 5 p.m. March 27.