PREBLE COUNTY — According to Commission President Denise Robertson, the Preble County Commissioners will not be reaching out to West Alexandria concerning Sewer District Six (SD6) after all.
During a meeting on Monday, Feb. 24, citizen Jerry Wick spoke on the matter, explaining to the board, he understands they want to keep the “bid down,” but he wants it to come in high, so the project will be deemed unaffordable.
However, President Robertson informed him the board no longer wishes to partner with West Alexandria with regard to SD6.
“At the kickoff meeting on Jan. 22, [Commissioner Rodney Creech] brought up the fact that you still thought commissioners should reach out to West [Alexandria] about the sewage. I have a problem with that. We’re on opposite sides of the battlefield here. I understand you want to try to keep the bid down,” he said.
“We have decided not to do that, not to pursue that,” Robertson said.
“I understand they were trying to keep the bid down, but as a homeowner affected by Sewer District Six, I want that to come in as high as possible,” Wick responded.
He also spoke with the board regarding the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission (MVRPC) and his belief that Commissioner Chris Day should have recused himself from SD6 discussions when he was still serving as West Alexandria Village Administrator.
Wick referred to the IBI Group feasibility study report which states Day was in “preliminary discussions” on behalf of West Alexandria as their Village Administrator.
Day responded, “All I gave [the contractor] was facts. Facts don’t change where everything is at. I had no bias one way or another, all they were asking for was the capacity were, what treatment, and all I told them was what West [Alexandria] at the time.”
Emergency Management Association (EMA) Director David Anderson also shared his update, reporting:
•EMA recently participated in the Pan Flue Regional Exercise. All EMA Directors, Health Departments, and many hospitals in the region attended this exercise. State Representatives also attended.
“It is probably a good thing we had it when we did, because it is looking like the Coronavirus may become a pandemic. If so, now we have a little bit more of an understanding about what we can and should do and how we go about doing stuff like that,” Anderson said.
•Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) Tier 2 forms are coming in. They also presented Shelter in Place to three more schools, with only two left. Finally, Anderson said he is still working on the annual exercise and has chosen a contractor.
In other business, the commissioners:
•Authorized payments to Preble County Sheriff’s Office ($3,124.50); Veteran Services ($5,5200); Coroner ($2,145; $8,000); and Job and Family Services ($1,088.75; $9,730.90).
•Authorized an expenditure in the amount of $25,650 for the purchase of rebar to be used on various projects for the Preble County Engineer’s Office.
•Authorized an expenditure in the amount of $3,490.58 for the purchase and installation of two access control units for Job and Family Services.
•Noted receipt of a letter from the Clerk of Courts regarding the promotion of Stacy Trantanella, Deputy Title Clerk II.
•Noted receipt of and approved a personnel action referencing Intermittent Appointment of Toni Morgan, Social Service Navigator, Job and Family Services.
•Noted receipt of and signed the 2020 Resurfacing and Pavement Marking Agreement with Barrett Paving Materials, Inc., $1,516,955.30 for the Preble County Engineer’s Office.
The Preble County Board of Commissioners meet every Monday and Wednesday at 9 a.m. in the Preble County Courthouse, unless noted otherwise.
