Busy agenda for commissioners

TIFFIN — The Seneca County Board of Commissioners approved a slate of resolutions and heard updates on several infrastructure projects during its regular Tuesday morning meeting, including plans for a new "green building" transit facility and a propane vehicle fleet. Transit agency eyes major green facility Mary Habig, director of North Central Area Transit, presented commissioners with two pressing items from the agency Tuesday morning: placement of a 1,000-gallon above-ground propane tank to fuel a new fleet of bi-fuel vehicles and the ongoing procurement process for a large new maintenance and storage building on county property. She said the agency is transitioning from electric vehicles to propane-capable vehicles. "The vehicles we're getting are going to be between 12 and 15 vehicles," Habig said. "They're considered bi-fuel vehicles, which means they can run on fuel, gasoline, or they can ride with propane." The propane tank placement has been complicated by setback requirements of 25 feet from neighboring properties, six feet from power lines and five to six feet from driveways, and Habig said an initial location she had in mind was ruled out after a conversation with the county's maintenance staff. "I need the expertise of the commissioners to let me know where you would like us to have this thousand gallon tank brought in," Habig said. Commissioners agreed that Commissioner Bill Frankart and the county's maintenance director would walk the property with Habig to identify an appropriate location. The larger project, an 18,000-square-foot facility to be constructed on a roughly three-acre field between the NCAT building and the Opportunity Center, has been in development for about two and a half years. Habig described it as a "green building" designed to collect rainwater and snowmelt from surrounding rooftops into a cistern, power a drive-through bus wash from that collected water, and generate electricity through rooftop solar panels. "We want to put small panel electric panels on the roof for the energy to help pay for the cost of it," Habig said. She said the project also addresses security concerns for both the transit agency's vehicles and those housed by the Opportunity Center. "We've already had thefts," she said. "People have already stolen from ours, from the vehicles sitting outside." The building is funded in part through a $3.5 million federal grant that includes both infrastructure and vehicles. Habig said ODOT has hired a consultant to oversee the procurement process, a request for qualifications is targeted for publication in the newspaper by June 1 and will be advertised nationally, with the hope that local architects and engineers will also submit bids. Habig also noted that the project has already been coordinated with the EPA before groundbreaking. Commissioner Paradiso asked to see an aerial layout before the project progresses too far. "I'd like to see it before you get down the road real far, that's all," he said. Habig agreed to share the RFQ document with commissioners once it clears consultant review, expected by the end of the week. OneOhio board representative reappointed Robin Reaves, deputy director of the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board, updated commissioners on the status of OneOhio Region 17 funding before being formally reappointed to the regional board. Reaves noted that the board currently serves Seneca, Ottawa, Sandusky and Wyandot counties, but said it will merge with Huron County effective July 1 and operate under a new name: North Central Behavioral Health Board. Reaves told commissioners that Region 17 had just over $1.4 million available in the current grant cycle, Cycle 2, against applications totaling more than $7 million from 26 applicants. The regional board forwarded nine applications to the state for final review last week, though Reaves said the contents of those applications remain confidential during the state's review process. "Hopefully our community, I'm hoping maybe August, early fall, we'll hear what those new cycle two award amounts are," Reaves said. Reaves also announced she was elected to serve as chair of the regional board effective July 1, replacing Commissioner Mark Stahl of Ottawa County, who was selected to represent Region 17 at the state board level. Commissioners voted unanimously to reappoint Reaves to a two-year term on the board running from July 1, 2026-June 30, 2028. Reaves, who has worked in the mental health and addiction field for more than three decades, said the appointment carries personal weight. "I have been in the mental health and addiction field for over 30 years now. I saw the opiate epidemic come in. I saw and have been a part of the devastation," Reaves said. "So being on this end, being able to help see where the money goes to address the devastation is much appreciated." During public comment, Reaves clarified the breakdown of OneOhio funds: 55% goes to the foundation for grants and administrative expenses, 15% returns to the state and the remaining 30% is distributed to local governments and the regional boards. She noted that Seneca County received about $40,000 directly last year, which was split two-thirds to the PIVOT Court and one-third to rural EMS. Parking lot project draws two bids The meeting opened with a bid opening for the Calvert parking lot expansion and Seneca County Youth Center Improvements Project. Two bids were received against a project estimate of $340,000. Advanced Excavating and Demolition LLC submitted a bid of $363,694.71, and Ebony Construction Company Incorporated submitted a bid of $408,617.98. No action was taken at the meeting. HR transition Commissioners accepted the resignation of Andrea Caskey as Human Resources Generalist, effective May 15, 2026, and approved the hiring of Lori Bentz as her replacement, effective Tuesday. Commissioner Paradiso thanked Caskey for her service. "She gave everything she had and she's going to move on," he said "She even gave us plenty of notice. She's working with us." Violence prevention task force, Elizabeth Smart visit discussed Commissioner Brent Busdeker raised a request he received from the Violence Prevention Task Force, which is seeking to bring Elizabeth Smart to Seneca County to speak, with November as a tentative target. According to the Elizabeth Smart Foundation, Smart was kidnapped June 5, 2002, and "endured daily sexual assault and abuse for nine months" before returning home March 12, 2003, and testifying against her captors, leading to their convictions. The foundation describes Smart as "a leading voice in the fight against sexual violence" who founded the Elizabeth Smart Foundation in 2011. The task force has been fundraising for the appearance fee and asked commissioners to serve as the contracting party in the agreement with Smart's representatives, without the county contributing any funds. "They wanted us to manage the contract," Busdeker said. "The contract would be between the commissioners and Elizabeth Smart's people." Busdeker said the request came from Magistrate Ken Clason and that he was unsure how similar requests had been handled in the past. No action was taken and commissioners offered no formal response. Other business Commissioners approved supplemental appropriations totaling several thousand dollars, primarily drawn from a Sheriff's Office ERO stipend, to cover a replacement tray for a 2021 Chevy Tahoe, contract services and intoximeters. A resolution authorizing the disposal of surplus county equipment from the engineer's office, including a 1992 IHC bridge truck, two 2005 IHC dump trucks and a 2020 John Deere tractor, passed unanimously. Commissioners also authorized a $100,000 transfer to the Children's Services Fund. In lighter business, the board voted to authorize a $5.73 Walmart invoice for a sales tax charge the engineer's office was unable to get waived.