Commission has first meeting of year

The Lawrence County Commission met for the first time this year on Monday, beginning with its organizational meeting and then following with the regular meeting for this week.

In the organizational portion of the meeting, commissioner Bill Pratt was re-appointed as commission president while commissioner Freddie Hayes Jr. was re-appointed as the commission vice president.

This year’s weekly commission meetings will once again take place at 11 a.m. on Tuesdays in the commission chambers on the third floor of the Lawrence County courthouse.

During the officeholders reports, Lawrence County Treasurer Stephen Burcham said his office is preparing to get first half tax bills out in the mail by Friday, noting that if people do not receive them by Friday of next week, to contact the office.

The deadline for first half taxes is Friday, March 2.

Lawrence County Chief Deputy Auditor Chris Kline also gave an update on the condition of the courthouse following a burst pipe, and said that although most of the floors and carpeting are dry, a lot of the woodwork and plastering throughout the affected offices are still in the process of drying.

He said that ServPro, the company working on the cleanup and repairs, plans to set up temporary walls to isolate areas that are still wet in order to try and get them to dry faster.

In other action, the commission:

• Approved nine floodplain permits.

• Approved the Dog Warden reports dated Nov. 25, 2017, Dec. 2, 2017, Dec. 9, 2017, Dec. 16, 2017, and Dec. 23, 2017.

• Approved 10 transfer funds.

• Received and filed the Grand Jury Report dated Dec. 19, 2017.

• Appointed commissioner DeAnna Holliday as the official representative for the County Commissioners Association of Ohio (CCAO) and chief deputy auditor Chris Kline as the designated alternate for the CCAO.

• Appointed Kevin Turvey as Lawrence County Apiary Inspector for 2018 at a rate of $2,000 and current IRS mileage rate.

• Approved a resolution to clarify the terms of employment for unclassified positions who work at the pleasure of the Lawrence County Board of Commissioners.

• Appointed Karen Reed, Parent Advocate, to the Ohio Children’s Trust Fund’s Southeast Ohio Regional Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Council.

• Approved Commission President Bill Pratt to sign the CEBCO Wellness Grant for 2018 and appointed Patricia Sanders as the Designee. The administrative funds are $4,000.

• Approved Commission President Bill Pratt to sign the 2018 FAA Airport Improvement Program Grant Re-Application.

• Approved Commission President Bill Pratt to sign the Administrative Agreement with the state for the Economic Development Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Program, requested by Cindy Caskey, Ironton-Lawrence County Community Action Organization (CAO). This is done on an every other year basis.

• Appointed the following members to the LEPC Committee as requested by Jane Griffith, LEPC secretary: Mac Yates, Jeff Gaskin, Melissa K. Mullins, Brian Elswick and Elizabeth Cremeans.

• Met in executive session with Chris Kline, Susan Heald, Sue Shultz, Andie Leffingwell and Laura Jane Murphy regarding pending litigation.

• Met in executive session with Terry Porter, Rich Blankenship and Chris Kline regarding personnel; hire, fire reprimand.

• Met in executive session with Gary Criswell and Chris Kline regarding personnel; hire, fire, reprimand.

• Met in executive session with Lisa Pine and Chris Kline regarding personnel; hire, fire, reprimand.

• Met in executive session with Bill Click and Chris Kline regarding personnel; hire, fire, reprimand.

• Met in executive session with Lori Morris and Chris Kline regarding personnel; hire, fire, reprimand.

• Met in executive session with Jeff Gaskin and Chris Kline regarding personnel; hire, fire, reprimand.

• Met in executive session with Mac Yates and Chris Kline regarding personnel; hire, fire, reprimand.

• Met in executive session with Roger Holston and Chris Kline regarding personnel; hire, fire, reprimand.

• Met in executive session with Terry Porter and Chris Kline regarding personnel; hire, fire, reprimand.

• Met in executive session with Rich Blankenship and Chris Kline regarding personnel; hire, fire, reprimand.

Action taken at the executive sessions was not yet known by press time.