Appropriations: Commission approves allocations for building department, court and sheriff | News, Sports, Jobs

Washington County Commissioner Kevin Ritter, right, speaks about appropriations during a commission meeting Thursday morning while Commissioners James Booth, left, and Charlie Schilling, center, listen. (Photo by Michelle Dillon)

Washington County commissioners approved several supplemental appropriations Thursday.

At Thursday's meeting, commissioners approved additional appropriations for three departments.

The first supplemental appropriation approved was $37,100 for a vehicle for the building department. Commissioners discussed details of the vehicle at the commission's last meeting on June 13. This is a Toyota RAV4 from Kev's Kars in Marietta.

Several supplemental appropriations were approved for jail and security and transportation (S&T) funds for the Sheriff's Office. Approved appropriations were $22,876.35 for Prison Wages, $331.71 for Jail Medicare, $3,202.69 for Ohio Public Employees' Retirement System (OPERS), $15,797.82 for S&T salaries, $229.07 for S&T Medicare and $2,211.70 for S&T OPERS.

A letter the sheriff's office sent to the commissioners about the additional appropriations said they had to “replenish wages, Medicare (and) OPERS for certain unanticipated retirements that occurred in the first half of 2024.”

Another supplemental appropriation was approved for the Sheriff's Office, unrelated to salaries, Medicare and OPERS. Commissioners approved an additional appropriation of $8,283 for equipment from the sheriff's S&T fund. A letter from the sheriff's office to the commissioners said the money was for accessories for a transport vehicle approved by the commission on June 13. The letter said commissioners asked the sheriff's office to find a different source of funds than for vehicle equipment. The County Commission and Sheriff received funding for Targeted Community Alternatives to Jail (T-CAP). The sheriff's office is seeking $8,283 for the remaining cost of the equipment.

The last appropriation approved was $18,111.97 for Washington County Common Pleas Court for contract services. A letter from the Court of Common Pleas states the money is intended for the court's T-CAP fund so it can open a purchase order to spend the funds.

Other items discussed at the meeting include:

*Approved paid invoices totaling $966,556.21.

*Approved transfers of $6,227.52 from the Washington County Recorder's Discretionary Merit Fund to the Salary Fund; $5,000 from the Sewer Department's Stacey Operations and Maintenance Fund to its State Route 60 Operations and Maintenance Fund.

*Approved payment for four items from yesterday and today – which are purchase orders over $100 – for a total of $83,535.50.

* Appointed Jarrett Barnhouse to the Washington County Behavioral Health Board.

*Approved a contract with Washington-Morgan Community Action to provide a minimum of 10,449 hours of transportation service at a cost of $60.77 for transit services.

Funds for the contract come from the Federal Transit Administration.

*Approved a bid from Larry Lang Excavating for $50,536.20 to repair a landslide on County Road 14.

A letter from County Engineer Roger Wright states the engineer's estimate for the project was $66,740.

*Approved a bid from Bob Lane's Welding for $235,500.50 for a landslide repair.

A letter from Wright states the engineer's estimate for the projects was $324,160.

*Approved the payment of an invoice of $536,192.05 to RDR Utility Services Group for a portion of the Devola sewer project.

* Approved a request from Wright to pay a $3.58 late fee to the county engineer's office due to a non-late bill payment.

*Filed a contract for GIS software for the Washington County Health Department until County Attorney Nicole Coil's office can review it.