DD levy approved for ballot

Published 12:00 am Sunday, July 27, 2025

On Tuesday, the Lawrence County Commissioners received and signed a resolution for the Lawrence County Developmental Disabilities  2.5 mill levy to be put on the Nov. 5 ballot.

Julie Monroe, superintendent of Open Door School, said that there will be a rally organized by Lawrence County Advocates for DD, a political action committee in support of the levy, and is set for 6-8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1 at the South Point Community Center.

“We are going to have music, free food and there will be information about the cost of the levy for taxpayers,” she said, adding they will have an informational sheet from the auditor’s office that has the costs broken down by monthly costs. She 

said they also be signing up volunteers to help with their campaign. “All the literature that anyone would need to understand” will be available.

Monroe said they have a Facebook page, “Lawrence County Advocates for DD,” and a website, everyonedeservesachance.com.

Commissioner Colton Copley said they will continue to share information as the campaign moves forward.

The last time a DD levy was on the ballot in the county was 2019, when a 10-year, 2.5 mill levy was defeated by less than two percent. There hasn’t been a new levy in support of DD services approved since 2006

County administrator Dylan Bentley told the commissioners about savings on the electric bill for the county offices.

“Two years ago, the commissioners voted to enter into a service agreement with CCAO and Palmer Energy to put us into a group pool that brought down our electricity costs last year in the amount of $15,704,” he said. “We know energy costs are going to go up big time this year for everybody. Just wanted to let everyone know about the good news of just switching and joining that pool and how much that saved.”

Copley said they like to hear that when there is an opportunity to save money and getting feedback on that.

Commissioner DeAnna Holliday said there is a cemetery grant of up to $25,000 available to defray the cost of maintenance or training of cemetery personnel about the operations of cemeteries.

“So that is a grant opportunity for all the townships throughout Lawrence County and if you want more information about that, we will have that available in our office,” she said.

Holliday brought up the fact she was proud that Copley’s daughter, Adyson, did well at the Miss Ohio Teen USA pageant last weekend.

“This was her first introduction to pageantry and she actually placed in the top ten, which is phenomenal. That is quite a feat,” she said. “I don’t want to steal her thunder, I know Addison has some really big things that she is going to be unveiling to the community in regard to her platform.”

Holliday added that everyone should watch Adyson Copley’s social media platforms for the exciting things she is working on.

“I just love seeing these young women be able to accomplish goals and introduce platforms through pageantry,” she said. “I was just so proud of Adyson.”

Holliday knows about pageants since she was the 2012 Mrs. Ohio.

Copley told Holliday that he appreciated the comments and “I never thought I was going to be a pageant dad, but there I was, at the pageant and so proud.”

Miss Ohio 2025 Olivia Fosson will be at the commissioners’ meeting on Tuesday.

In items on the agenda, the commissioners took the following actions:

• Made the following EMS personnel change: Timothy Woods, new hire part-time EMT, and Alexandrea Romine, new hire part-time EMT.

• Received and signed the final change order for County Road 12-6867 landslide repair project.

• Approved the re-appointment of Jeffery Eastham to the Lawrence County Regional Planning Commission, effective Aug. 1, 2025, and ending July 31, 2028.

• Approved floodplain permits submitted by the Soil and Water Conservation District. 

New: David and Summer R. Maynard, Filling and grading project, 652 County Road 31; Williams Hicks, filling and grading project, 4153 State Route 378; Aaron Tyler and Jazlyn Bryan, filling and grading and manufactured home projects, 54 Private Road 50. 

Renewals: Charles Gill Brace III, stream maintenance project, 4217 County Road 6; Garrett and Julie Crawford, stream maintenance project, 5897 County Road 16; Mark Crawford-Brush clearing and stream maintenance projects, 6623 County Road 16; Dale Mootz, stream maintenance project, 6193 County Road 19; Robert and Geraldine Null, stream maintenance projects, 2868 State Route 378 and across from 6737 State Route 217 ; Danny Holschuh, campers/shelters in a floodplain project located beside 7180 County Road 107 2025-814 Fayette Township, grading, culverts, paving and ditch maintenance projects located on Twp. Rd. R.O.W’s; Symmes Valley Local Schools, filling and grading, materials storage and accessory structure project, 13959 State Route 141.

• Approved appropriations and transfers dated July 22, 2025, under $75,000 submitted by Bentley and Chris Kline.

• Met in executive session for matters regarding real estate and legal contracts.