Commissioners make historical board appointment

MAKING HISTORY — Jefferson County Commissioners Eric Timmons, left, and Tony Morelli stood with Kristen McGlone who they approved as an appointment to the Jefferson County Board of Developmental Disabilities. McGlone will be the first board member who’s eligible for the board’s services. — Christopher Dacanay

STEUBENVILLE — The Jefferson County commissioners made an historical appointment to the county Board of Developmental Disabilities during their final meeting of 2024 on Tuesday.

Commissioners Eric Timmons and Tony Morelli — in the absence of outgoing Commissioner Dave Maple — approved the appointment of Kristen McGlone to the BODD. McGlone will be the first board member who’s eligible for the BODD’s services, which are intended for individuals with developmental disabilities.

BODD Superintendent Mike Zinno said the seven-member board recommended McGlone to replace Jim Padden, whose term ended Wednesday.

“Since July, our board has been interviewing different individuals to be our next board member,” Zinno said. “This is historical because we’ve always had parents and guardians on our board. … Across the state of Ohio, all county boards of DD are appointing individuals who are eligible for our program, and (McGlone) will be the first one in Jefferson County.”

Zinno said McGlone “comes highly qualified” for the position, being a local leader in the self-advocacy group at PALS Chrysalis Health in Mingo Junction, repeat attendee at the statewide Synergy Conference for members of the intellectual/developmental disability community and participant in DD Awareness Day at the Ohio Statehouse.

A Special Olympian, McGlone said, “I like to help people out, too.”

Timmons told McGlone: “We’re glad to be part of history.”

“We appreciate you wanting to help out,” Morelli added.

Separately, commissioners heard from Jefferson County Engineer Jim Branagan, who, in his last report as engineer, said his department has been removing fallen trees from the road that were left from Sunday night’s windstorm.

Branagan recalled his first commissioners meeting as engineer 36 years ago, when one individual on county Road 74 near Gould complained of insufficient salt on the roads, and another individual on county Road 7 near Adena complained of too much salt.

“In my brilliance, I said, ‘I’ll tell you what I’m going to do. I’m going to get that driver from 74, I’m moving him to 7, and 7, I’m moving him to 74.’ They didn’t see the humor. It was a valuable lesson. You realize, after something like that, you can’t please all people all the time. Sometimes you can’t please anybody.”

Branagan added that his “time’s up now,” and he’s enjoyed his time working with the commissioners. Newly sworn in Engineer Eric Hilty is “qualified, smart and will pick right up and keep going.”

“He trained me well,” Hilty said. “The whole staff out there, we’re very lucky.”

Morelli said that, as commissioner, he’s most enjoyed working with new people, and Branagan is “at the top of that list.”

Timmons echoed that sentiment, adding, “Getting to work with Jim is very rewarding.”

Commissioners also discussed America250 committee appointments with Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District Project Director Aaron Dodds.

“In 2026, America is going to be celebrating is 250th anniversary,” Dodds told commissioners. “Ohio is trying to get 250 communities on board to do celebrations,. That involves passing a resolution and forming a committee: At least two government officials and one private citizen. Then you’re eligible for a series of grants — ranging to about $5,000 — to invest back into your community, to promote what makes your community unique.”

The commissioners previously passed the necessary resolution and need to form the committee, Dodds added. Commissioners approved Dodds and Morelli to sit on the committee as government officials, and they resolved to discuss who the private citizen should be.

Commissioners also:

• Noted that the courthouse will be closed Thursday, their first meeting will take place Jan. 9, their reorganization meeting will take place Jan. 13 and their Jan. 23 meeting has been rescheduled to Jan. 22.

• Approved paying a $986 invoice to the Jefferson County Clerk of Courts for services rendered to the Jefferson County Department of Family Services child support with a federal share of $650.76.

• Approved payments from the Community Housing Improvement Program grant to the Ohio Regional Development Corp. for administrative costs ($2,207) and PRC Construction ($11,033) for an ongoing residence rehabilitation project in Toronto. Construction must be complete by February, said Jefferson County Regional Development Commission Director Betty Lou Tarr, and the grant closeout will occur in April.

• Adopted revised Jefferson County subdivision regulations from the Jefferson County Regional Planning Commission regarding the creation of subdivisions within unincorporated areas. The last revision, based on Ohio Revised Code, was updated in May of 1995. Branagan reportedly contributed to the regulations, which mainly concerned changes in environmental permitting.

• Approved various appropriations adjustments for county departments: Engineer’s office, $355 from the motor vehicle gas fund to salaries; clerk of court’s office, $5,050 in unappropriated funds to salaries; treasurer’s office, $1,524 from contract services to salaries and $213.33 from contact services to PERS; recorder’s office, unappropriated funds to salaries ($662.16) and hospitalization ($55.20) and commissioners’ office, $325.44 from contract services to salaries for the maintenance department.

• Accepted 2025 temporary appropriations from the Jefferson County Auditor’s Office for the general fund and all other funds. Auditor E.J. Conn noted this is only a temporary budget to operate the county until permanent appropriations are approved by April 1, and figures should not be interpreted a partial percentage of the permanent budget to be adopted.

• Accepted the 2024 Jefferson County final appropriation report, 2024 appropriation history report and 2024 appropriation transfer report from the auditor’s office. All modifications from the approved 2024 appropriations will be provided as soon as the last expenditures are posted on Tuesday, Conn noted.

• Approved an agreement for Buckeye Ranch Inc. to provide placement and related services for individuals in the care or custody of the Jefferson County Department of Job and Family Services. The contract — which runs from Tuesday through June 30 — is for a per diem rate of $1,018.87 and is “contingent upon the availability of federal or state funds.” The facility is “equipped with the care of and protective services for dependent, neglected and abused persons.”

• Approved an agreement between the JCDJFS Child Support Enforcement Agency and Common Pleas Court for duties performed on behalf of CSEA cases. Effective through 2025, the agreement has a total value of $180,144.49, 66 percent of which is reimbursable through federal funds. Last year’s contract was roughly $177,000, according to Reno Tarquinio, JCDJFS finance and social services administrator.

• Approved an agreement between the CSEA and auditor for payment for duties performed on behalf of CSEA cases. Effective through 2025, the agreement’s total value is $68,188.95, 66 percent of which is reimbursable through federal funds. Last year’s agreement was roughly $1,400 less, Tarquinio said.

• Approved a contract — done for the last several years — allowing the JCDJFS to trade allocations with other counties in Ohio, enabling it to leverage other counties’ unused funds for the benefit of Jefferson County.

• Heard from Jefferson County Water and Sewer Department Director Mike Eroshevich, who reported that the department fixed one main line break on township Road 67 near Amsterdam, fixed two service line leaks in Hammondsville, did some repairs at the Piney Fork pressure reducing vault and did a new tap on county Road 15. Additionally, the department was preparing bills for mailing on Tuesday, and it would undertake a meter replacement project next week.

• Emerged from personnel executive session and approved pay increases for water and sewer department employees: 4 percent pay increases for the assistant director and administrative assistant and a $2 per hour wage increase for the operations supervisor.

• Held a moment of silence for Jimmy Carter, the 39th president, who died Sunday.