County-level tax exemptions, such as homestead exemptions and owner-occupancy credits, can significantly reduce funding for public schools, with each exemption potentially costing $361 per student annually; this creates a zero-sum trade-off where tax relief for homeowners directly reduces educational resources, forcing school districts to implement cuts, hiring freezes, and program reductions to maintain operations.
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Commissioners' Board Meeting 5/22/26追加:
Sure.
Mark wants >> I knew there'd be a lot of school districts here.
>> I don't see no but No, I'll ready for this.
>> Mhm.
>> And you want me to you want me to step up right after the pledge >> with Jeff?
>> Yeah, we'll sit down. We'll all three.
>> Okay. I'll let you start it, though.
>> Okay. Um, >> good morning. It's May 22nd. It's 9:30.
Uh, welcome to the board of commissioners meeting. Please rise for the pledge of allegiance.
I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Wait a minute. Go ahead.
>> Commissioner Moore >> here.
>> Commissioner Gallagher >> here.
>> Commissioner Redell >> here.
>> We have a quorum.
>> Good. Uh, Commissioner Redell.
>> Yes. Before we get into today's business, you know, there's been much much attention in print. Welld deserved.
But we wanted to make a take a moment to remember Jeff Armbster who unfortunately a week ago today, you know, succumbed to his third bout of cancer in the last six years. So we we we were very hopeful that he would beat this one much like he had the other two. Um Jeff was a consmate public servant. I happen to have known him for over 40 years. So far ago, I couldn't even remember when we first met. And whether he was serving the state of Ohio or the city of North Ridgeville or Lorraine County, he was laser focused on the problems and the and the tasks at hand and trying to do the greater good for the greater number of folks that he was representing. and our our board was very pleased to have Jeff with us for the last three years to help us, you know, sort through some of the things that we had on our agenda. Uh he will be missed and we have already discussed with the staff and uh we're we're for the near future we're going to close ranks and those that know his agenda will each take a piece of it and we will carry it forward. So with that, I defer to the other commissioners. Um, I'll say that I've known him for probably about 15 years and that he um he's an inspiration and always with a smile, a positive attitude, and um I don't want to say too much cuz I'll break up, but he's a great man. Good to work with him.
>> Okay.
>> Yeah, I'm going to miss him.
>> Ready? Under resolutions number one, investments.
>> Move to approve. Second >> discussion. Commissioner Moore.
>> Hi.
>> Mr. Gallagher.
>> Hi.
>> Commissioner Redell.
>> Hi.
>> Number two. Appropriations.
>> Move to approve.
>> Second.
>> Discussion. Commissioner Moore.
>> I.
>> Mr. Gallagher.
>> I.
>> Mr. Mell.
>> I.
>> Number three transfers.
>> Move to approve.
>> We got two pages. Oh, I got one here.
>> Oh, just one.
>> Okay.
Second >> discussion.
Mr. Moore.
>> Hi.
>> Mr. Gallagher.
>> Hi.
>> Mr. Redell.
>> Hi.
>> Number four. Advances repayments. There are none. Number five, requisitions.
>> This is uh page one of the requisitions.
I've already I've already asked our budget director just so you guys take a look at items number 587.
588 and 589.
Line item number 587 is in regards and 589 is in regards to the 911 um unnecessary lawsuits against 911. And line number 588 is uh CCI in which a vendor was told before he signed the contract uh three and a half years ago that we were going to resend it in 3 weeks. We're now in our almost coming up to our fourth year with this frivolous lawsuit. So, um I've asked Casey to get a total for everybody and we're going to start maintaining the legal fees and waste of taxpayer funds on this unnecessary attack on our taxpayers. So, that's page one. Page two, please.
>> Page two, please. Okay.
Motion to approve pages one and two.
Second >> discussion.
Commissioner Moore.
>> Hi.
>> Mr. Gallagher.
>> Hi.
>> Commissioner Redell.
>> Hi.
>> Number six, travel.
>> Move to approve.
>> Second >> discussion.
Commissioner Gallagher.
>> I.
>> Commissioner Moore.
>> I.
>> Commissioner Dell.
>> I.
>> Number seven bills.
>> We have four pages today.
Page two, please.
Let's see item number 35. That's the payroll for the recent election.
Page three, please.
Page four.
Move to approve pages one, two, three, and four.
>> Second >> discussion.
>> Yes. on that on that item that Commissioner Moore did the uh the salary for the pole workers. I I was asked by the board of elections just to remind everybody that we have to dress up no matter what the attendance is and we're already there and we're already paying.
So don't be afraid to come out and vote in future elections. You know, we're open for business.
>> Anything further? Commissioner Moore.
>> Hi.
>> Mr. Gallagher.
>> Hi.
>> Commissioner Dell.
>> Hi.
>> Eight.
>> We're going in exact.
>> Okay. County commissioners may recess an executive session to consider the appointment, employment, dismissal, discipline, promotion, demotion, or compensation of public employee or official along with any other matters specifically identified by motion in accordance with the Ohio rights code 121.22G1 through8 unless expressly stated otherwise during executive session. Matters discussed in executive session are designated the county commissioners as confidential. Because of the confidentiality of such matters necessary for the proper conduct of government business, any disclosure outside of executive session is prohibited by Ohio Res 102.03b.
While in executive session, the county commissioners may discuss and deliberate on the matters at issue, but no votes may be taken until open session resumes.
>> Thank you.
>> Yeah. Public comment on agenda items.
>> Yes, we have quite a few.
Um I think it's is it Frank? Uh Vasha, I don't know if that's L's or two L's or an H.
Over item number 11, which is majority of today's comments regarding the um >> Good morning.
>> Good morning.
>> I'm coming to you on behalf of North Ridgeville City Schools today. Item 11's going to have a financial impact to our district. Once again, I'm asking you to withdraw this from the agenda today and so you have an opportunity you can go and spend time in each school district and understand the impact to each individual school district in the rain county. The decision you're getting ready to make today impacts us all, but very differently in each case. We have not asked the city of North Ridgel for new levies since 2012 when we promised them we would not come back for a minimum of 10 years. We have far surpassed that. And I want you to understand the impact you made last time you made this decision cost each one of our students $361.
The state of Ohio currently is only allocating a little over $800 per student. The rest of it falls squarely on the residents of North Ridgeville. So the decision you're getting ready to make today impacts us in a way that even the state's not at this point because these are funds that were allocated and approved by North Ridgeville city voters. I understand the impact of property taxes, but unfortunately, the state of Ohio's now made it your burden and made their life easier by passing this down to you instead of fixing the funding for the state of Ohio. So again, I respectfully ask that you withdraw this from the agenda. And so you have an opportunity to speak with each school district because it impacts us all differently. We're already making cuts.
We're already not replacing staff. I sat at high school commencement on Tuesday night and seen the impact of decisions we've made without asking our community for additional funds. Kids that are going into the military prepared. Kids going into the real world prepared. Kids leaving with associates degrees and two years towards a bachelor's degree because of decisions we've made while being fiscally responsible with the funds that have been allocated and entrusted to us by North Ridgeville. So again, put the onus back on the state of Ohio to fix the funding problem once and for all without taking funds that we desperately need to continue to do the work that we're doing at North Ridgeville City Schools. I thank you for your time and I really truly deeply hope you withdraw this from the agenda and take a closer look at it.
>> Thank you.
>> Thank you very much.
>> Well said. Well said.
>> Mark Ballard.
>> And he didn't need a cheat sheet. No, he didn't.
>> Good morning.
>> Good morning.
>> Good morning. Good morning, Chairman Moore, Commissioner Gallagher, Mr. Verdale, Commissioner Giddell. I did some prepared remarks for you guys this morning because I didn't want to miss any of the points that I wanted to to make. My name is Mark Ballard. I'm a member of Lraine City School Board going on more than 13 years now. And I want to be clear up front. I'm not here today to argue.
Uh but I am here uh manto man. You guys are my friends and public servant to public servant to let you know what's going on in our schools. Um let me start saying I respect the position that you guys are in. The homestead exemption you considered last year was not a frivolous thing. It was a real relief for real people.
seniors on fixed incomes, working families stretched very thin, folks who've paid this county for decades and deserved a break. You weren't trying to hurt anybody. You were trying to help somebody. And in the job, that's the hardest math that you could ever come by in this community. Because every dollar you give back to one neighbor is a dollar that can't go elsewhere. I'm not here to question the heart on this. I'm here to ask you to hold two pictures up at the same time. Because while the exemption helped grandma keep her house and thank God for that, it also pulled real dollars from Lorraine City Schools, Clear View, Amhmerst, Avan, Firelands, and every other district in this county.
And the kids in the buildings, they don't get a separate line item. When the money is gone, it's just gone. I sit in our budget meetings and I see the cuts being weighed. programs that change kids' lives, staffs who report their years years into this community, services for the most vulnerable students, and these aren't abstract.
These are number these are not abstract numbers on a spreadsheet. These are choices that show up in a child's classroom every Monday morning. So my plea today is not loud, not angry. It's just honest. When this vote comes back to your table, I'm asking you to weigh the kids of Lorraine County with the same weight that you give to our seniors and our homeowners. Both deserve your protection. Both deserve your courage.
And I trust because I know you all that to find the right path, you can honor them both. Thanks for your service.
Thanks for hearing me out. Again, thank you for the burden that you all carry that most people never see. And God bless this work that you guys do.
>> Thank you, Mark.
>> Very good. Well said.
>> Is it um Beth? Is it >> Crossy? Cross a >> cross.
>> Cross. Okay.
>> Thank you. I'm Beth Crossy, finance director for the city of Avon Lake. Good morning, commissioners.
>> Good morning.
>> Good morning.
>> Good morning.
>> I'd like to first thank you for all that you do for Lorraine County. It's difficult work being a public servant.
we all know in trying to make ends meet and satisfy uh residents and and revenue needs. Uh these are challenging economic times for municipalities and other public entities trying to find a balance to provide the best services for our residents while trying to find the revenue necessary to fund those services.
We support efforts to maintain reasonable and affordable property tax for residents. However, we are concerned about the revenue side to the municipalities on municipal budgets. For the city of Avon Lake, the proposed revenue reduction will create additional financial challenges at a time when we are all facing rising operating costs as well as aging infrastructure repair costs.
Avon Lake City Council just recently approved the initial tax budget for 2027.
For the third consecutive year, there are no uh minimal to no tax dollars available for infrastructure expenditures due to the increased strain on our general fund. While we are trying to address this in different ways, we do count property tax as our second largest revenue source. as do most municipalities.
This additional piggyback tax exemptions will negatively affect a much needed property tax revenue stream for Avon Lake and may ultimately negatively impact the core services that we try to provide to our residents and which they depend upon. We respectfully urge you to reconsider the impact these piggyback tax exemptions will have on our cities, villages, townships, schools, and others throughout Lorraine County before moving forward. Please, we urge you to vote against these exemptions. Thank you for your consideration and your continued commitment to the health and vibrancy of Lorraine County.
>> Thank you.
>> Thank you for coming in.
We said thank you.
>> Oh, sorry. Wendy Fanta.
>> Good morning.
>> Good morning.
>> Good morning, commissioners. My name is Wendy Fanta. I'm the treasurer with North Ridgeville City Schools. I'm here today to urge you to remove the piggyback homestead exemption because the real cost of that will fall on the public schools and the families that rely on them. I understand and sympathize with the concerns about rising property taxes, especially for the seniors and residents on fixed incomes.
These concerns are real and deserve serious attention. But good intentions do not always make good policy. This proposal will shift the burden onto children and schools.
This piggyback will provide additional tax relief to only about 20,000 residents, but will impact just about each and everyone of the nearly 40,000 students across Bane County.
The impact will be large. There will be reduced larger class sizes, reduced services for struggling students, cuts to programs like arts, athletics, and career tech, and ultimately fewer teachers and support staff. A child who falls behind because support was cut does not get those years back. A student who loses access to tutoring, mental health services, or career training carries those consequences with them long after this vote has been done. You cannot solve one hardship by creating another, especially when that hardship falls on the children who have no voice in this process. Please do not ignore the long-term consequences. Weakening our schools ultimately weakens the future of Lorraine County. Thank you for your time.
>> Well, thank you for coming in.
>> Um Roxanne Cacero.
>> Good morning. Good morning.
>> Good morning, commissioners Moore, Redell, and Gallagher. I am Roxan Cacerio, superintendent of the North Ridgeville City Schools. And I would like to begin by thanking you for the opportunity to speak on behalf of the almost 4800 students and 650 staff members of the North Ridgeville City Schools.
Today is our last student day for the 2526 school year. And instead of celebrating with our students, I am here to implore you not to reauthorize the piggyback homestead exemption or the 2.5% real property tax exemption for the tax year 2026.
While everyone in this room agrees that property tax reform is needed, these two changes have had and will continue to have an outsized effect on the students, staff, and community of North Ridgeville.
When you as a group initially approved these changes, the North Ridgeville City Schools lost a projected $1.7 million.
This amount reflects a full 10% of the savings countywide, representing both the largest dollar amount and percentage of all entities impacted in the entire county.
I, however, would like to look at this number a different way. $1.7 million was a loss of $361 per student last year. renewed again, another $361 will be pulled from the education of each individual student.
While many will say that schools spend too much, the North Ridgeville City Schools does not. The average expenditure on a student in the state of Ohio is $12,759.
We spend $10,775, 84% of the state average. Every dollar of revenue lost is a substantial reduction and a lost opportunity for the students of our schools. Despite spending far less than most districts in the state, we have been able to expand programs to students, operate the only publicly acclaimed steam school in Lorraine County, and offer in- demand programming like a nursing pathway to help students and our community grow.
All of this is at stake if these reductions continue. Because we are such good stewards of the community tax dollars, we have already begun to make changes to the district to address the loss of the initial $1.7 million.
The district has implemented a hiring freeze, has reduced or eliminated instructional resources for students, and has raised fees for our families.
There is however only so much we can do when budgets are reduced. While this time we were able to reduce positions through attrition, a second year of these exemptions will not allow us to do that. If the commission elects to move forward with another year of exemptions, it will directly lead to staff members losing jobs within the year. Every position lost, every program not renewed, every fee that is increased is a loss to our students. The decision made near the end of 2020 2025 may on its face have seemed like a good solution, but the minimal savings that were accomplished for the average homeowner forced the district into deficit spending two years sooner than projected. Continued loss of revenue will only accelerate the need for the district to come back to the community and ask for more tax dollars much sooner. Continuing these exemptions will cost taxpayers more and sooner. I again thank you for your time today and hope this helps you better understand the impact of these decisions in our district. I would again ask on behalf of nearly 4,800 students that you not move forward with this reauthorization of these exemptions or at a minimum postpone any decision on them until a full understanding of their impact can be evaluated. I thank you very much for your time.
>> Thank you very much, >> RC Saxon.
Good morning. Good morning.
>> Good morning, commissioners. Uh my name is Marcy Saxon and I am the parent of two students who graduated from North Ridgeville City Schools in 2024. I understand today uh your agenda includes discussion and voting to continue the piggyback exemptions for 2026 tax year.
I'm here to speak to the impact these decisions are already having on our schools and students. I'm asking you to please resend these exemptions for 2026 or at a minimum postpone this vote until the full long-term impact is understood.
As you've heard, the district has already lost approximately $1.7 million in funding due to these exemptions.
That's operating revenue that funds teachers, academic programs, transportation, student services, and extracurricular opportunities. These impacts are already happening for the students in North Ridgeville. A grade level has been cut from the only public STEM school in the county.
Staff is not being replaced when they retire or resign. These are current conditions that will continue resulting in fewer course offerings, fewer opportunities, and increased strain on the classrooms and staff. Every student is affected when public education funding is reduced. My own children are examples of what strong public schools make possible. Both of my children graduated in the top 5% of their class.
They both earned Governor's Merit scholarships. One earned the presidential fellowship at Miami University and the other received the land grant at the Ohio State University.
Because of their academic performance and work ethic developed in North Ridgeville City Schools, they earn full tuition to public universities and they will complete their undergraduate degrees with no student debt. Those outcomes were made possible through strong educators, rigorous academics, and opportunities funded by public education.
Students currently in these schools, they deserve the same access to these opportunities that my children had. I ask you please to fully evaluate the consequences of the exemptions before you continue a policy that removes millions of dollars from public education and essential community services. Thank you very much for letting me speak today.
>> Thank you for coming.
>> Frank Toth.
>> Good morning. Good morning.
>> Morning, commissioners.
>> My name is Frank Toth. Um longtime resident of North Ridgeville, lifelong resident of Lorraine County. I've been interested in education since um my father was a school teacher here at Yria High just up the streetways and uh he retired from there after 32 years of service.
Today I'm here I'm asking you to vote against extending the piggyback homestead exemption and expanded owner occupancy credit. I understand that property tax is a popular topic and I understand that we as homeowners are feeling increased financial pressure arising from recent property re-evaluations.
But these proposed credits do not eliminate these costs. They shift them onto our schools, our students, our teachers, and the local voters who have already chosen to support public education.
North Ridgeville City Schools stated that this county action has already cost the district approximately $1.7 million.
Combined with other recent property tax changes, the district projects nearly $15 million less in revenue from 2026 through 2030.
This is not a minor budget adjustment.
This is staff, classroom support, student services, transportation, technology, and programs.
Before Lorraine County renews these exemptions, the public deserves a few answers.
What specific criteria did this board use to determine that Lorraine County needs these exceptions when roughly 80 other counties chose not to enact them?
What makes Lorraine County so different from the majority of the state?
What financial analysis was completed to measure the harm to schools, cities, townships, police, fire, and other public services?
Did the commissioners consult with the North Ridgeville City Schools before taking $1.7 million from their budget?
Did you ask how this would affect staffing, class sizes, programs, and long-term financial stability?
And most importantly, what's the replacement plan? More levies.
North Ridgeville already spends significantly less than the state average per student. District officials have stated that the county action alone equals about $350 per year per student. And the total impact of recently enacted changes in Ohio law will approach $1,000 less per student per year. The people of North Ridgeville have voted to support their schools. This proposal disenfranchises our votes.
Property tax relief should be fair, transparent, and responsible. It should not be balanced on the back of students in the public schools which serve them.
I respectfully urge you to vote no on extending these credits. Thank you, gentlemen, for your time.
>> Well, thank you for coming.
>> Mayor Corkran.
>> Oh, there he is. How do I miss that?
>> I know. I He was hiding behind people.
So, >> morning, gentlemen.
>> Good morning. Good morning, sir.
>> Appreciate the kind words about Mr. Arburister. you know, he holds a special place in all of our hearts in North Ridgeville. But I'm here to talk about number 11 on your agenda. You know, last year the decision to enact the piggyback caused devastating cuts throughout the uh county. We saw massive cuts to the schools, townships, villages, libraries, county health department, county 911, and municipalities. North Ridge experienced the greatest loss of any community in the county. Not sure exactly how that happened, but the city suffered uh on the school side and in in our own city finances as well. We understand the need for tax reform. I understand it's a big issue. We know the state legislature continues to look at these issues and looks at ways to reduce property taxes. But the challenge that we're all facing, you included, is how do we provide the services and the increased demand for services with less money?
and we're shifting tax burdens from one side to the other and that just can't happen. You know, costs are increasing for all of us. Uh you know, again, the demand for services is increasing, but there is a smaller and smaller source of revenue for all of us. We lost over $400,000 in uh on the North Ridgel city side and then also you heard already from many people in North Ridgel on the school side about the $ 1.7 million.
Again, it's it's a challenge for all of us on how we navigate this future. I also happen to be the president of the Lorraine County Mayors and Managers Association. Uh unfortunately, uh several of them could not be here today, but I did speak to the mayor of Avon and the mayor of Lraine. They both expressed their concerns about moving forward with these cuts. Um you know, M uh Mayor Bradley pointed out the devastating impacts that the Lraine City Schools are already currently experiencing and it's almost like an extra hit on them uh for something like this to be enacted. uh Avon suffering the same through these same issues. I know they tend to have more money than most in the county, but uh they are also suffering through this as well. So, I can tell you that, you know, uh it's kind of interesting how this works. I understand that there are some people who benefit from this move, but the entire county of over 300,000 people suffer because of it. And I think there's got to be a better way. and uh you heard from several other people about the disparity of how this is being enacted throughout the state. I think that is challenging also. We're running out of ability to uh create funds uh unless we start enacting fees which nobody wants to do but we are trying our best to make everything work with the money that we have and taking more away from us is not helpful.
>> Thank you. Thank you, Mayor.
>> Is um is it Joel Maguire?
Hope I said >> good morning.
>> Good morning, commissioners.
>> Morning.
>> I am Joel Maguire. I'm superintendent at Avon Lake City Schools. Much like my colleague uh Roxanne has already explained to you, we are also urging you not to consider voting on the piggyback in the homestead reduction. Avon Lake lost $1.3 million last year. We were fortunate to have a levy approved back in May of 2025 and with that vote last year, $1.3 million was taken of the $3 million that our community um awarded us for to continue to run the schools.
In addition to that, we had prior to that levy had made $2 million in cuts.
We are down 35 staff members and will be down another 10 staff members this year alone. We continue to watch our finances. We have we had to raise our kindergarten tuition. It is the highest in the county, sitting at right around $4,000 for kids to attend full day kindergarten and also increase our preschool tuition. In addition, we have raised our cost to pay to participate in across the board in all of our extracurricular and co-curricular activities.
To have $1.3 million cut from our budget again in the next two tax years will force us to go on the ballot within two years. Our taxpayers don't need additional school levies put on the ballot to maintain the high quality of education that we are able to provide in Avon Lake. There are over 3,00 324,000 residents in Lorraine County. 68,000 of them are children. And while all of them are not attending school just yet, at some point they will be. As stated before, the piggyback exemption helped about 24,000 residents of that 324.
I would ask that when you consider this that you think of those 68,000 children that make up about 10% of your population and put their faces up there when thinking about taking this vote.
Thank you.
>> Thank you. Thanks, >> Colleen A-hol. Colleen A-hol.
Thank you. My name is Colleen Ahold and I am the treasurer of Alyria City School Districts and I'm here to piggyback on what everybody else said, pun intended.
I respectfully I respectfully ask that the budget commission to reconsider approving the piggyback and owner occupied exemption for Lraine County as the decision will have significant and dis disproportionate impact on the students and taxpayers of Yria City Schools.
Based on the calculations provided by the county auditor, Yria City Schools would experience a reduction in revenue exceeding $1.5 million annually, representing more than one and a half decrease one and a half% decrease in the district's operating resources. At a time when schools are in districts are already facing rising costs and increasing student needs, a loss of this magnitude is substantial. This reduction in funding does not eliminate the cost of educating children. It simply shifts the burden elsewhere. Ultimately, local taxpayers may be asked to make up the difference, or districts may be forced to reduce educational opportunities, student supports, academic programming, staffing, or other essential services that directly impact student success. We ask that you carefully consider the long-term consequences this decision may have on our schools, our students, and our community before moving forward. Thank you for your time and consideration.
>> Thank you for coming in much.
Rob Shamir.
>> Good morning.
>> Good morning.
>> Good morning.
>> Good morning.
>> Uh my name is Rob Shamir and I serve on Avon Lake City Council. I'm here today to strongly oppose the county adopted piggyback homestead exemption and increased owner occupied property tax credit. What I will refer to as county property tax exemption. Last year, this county property tax exemption reduced the Avon Lake property tax receipts by approximately $250,000.
And the impact this year could be even greater. This is a substantial loss of revenue. These are dollars that help fund police, fire, EMS, roads, infrastructure, and the core services our residents rely on every day.
The impact on Avon Lake City schools has even been greater. Last year, the property tax exemption reduced district revenues by approximately 1.3 million.
That is revenue that is utilized for school district, for students, for classrooms, staffing, student services, facilities, and future levy needs may be tied with that reduction.
So, I do understand the desire to provide tax relief, but county government also has the responsibility to protect the long-term financial stability of the communities and school districts that residents depend on.
Providing tax relief by cutting local revenues without replacing those funds is not sustainable solution. It shifts the burden onto cities and schools that are already under significant financial pressures. Instead of weakening local tax base, the focus should be on expanding it through economic development, responsible fiscal management, and broader state level tax property reform. And that does not come at the expense of municipalities and public education. Cities and schools should not be forced to absorb the financial consequence of county level decisions without any plan to offset those losses. For that reason, I respectfully ask that the county property tax exemption be not be approved.
>> Thank you.
>> Thank you for coming in, >> Jennifer Benner Box. Good morning.
>> Good morning, Commissioners. Jennifer Venderbash. um councilwoman with the city of Avon Lake. And before I start, I have a question. I have a statement from my mayor. Before I leave, is there someone I can hand that to?
>> He emailed us all. I think he emailed it to us.
>> He emailed it.
>> He emailed it. Perfect. Okay. Because I will be speaking for myself.
>> Yeah, that would be that'd be about a 10-minute read.
>> Um we just saved 10 minutes. Thank you, sir.
>> Thank you.
>> Okay. Um, thank you again for your public service and for the difficult work of balancing taxpayer concerns with the financial realities facing local governments. It's a hard job. We all know it, all of us legislators. I'm here today regarding issue 11 and the proposed piggyback homestead exemption and 2.5% partial real property tax exemption authorized under Ohio law.
While permitted by state law, last year's decision negatively impacted millions of dollars throughout the county. For Avon Lake, this is no longer a theoretical discussion.
As a council woman, I received calls from residents about deteriorating roads and delayed infrastructure.
Residents want to know when projects will move forward and when streets will be finally repaired. When a resident calls about a failing road, I cannot tell them we just choose not to fix it.
I must tell them we no longer have the resources to address it. The difficult reality is that this year, Avon Lake does not even have a capital budget.
Last year's 2.5% property tax reduction cost the city of Avon Lake. We absorb the loss by tightening operations and delaying projects whenever possible. But there comes a point where efficiency is no longer enough. Eventually, reductions begin affecting the basic services and infrastructure residents see and rely on every day. When property tax revenue is reduced, cities are forced to postpone road repairs, delay equipment replacement, defer infrastructure maintenance, and stretch already limited staff and resources. Further, those decisions compound over time and become more expensive to correct later.
And this impact does not stop with municipalities. As you've heard, schools and libraries and townships also depend heavily upon property tax revenue. These reductions ripple through every part of our community. Our community is Lorraine County. I understand and respect the desire to provide tax relief to residents, but I would respectfully request and ask the commissioners to consider whether shifting these costs upon local governments, schools, and libraries and townships simply transfers the burden to another in another form through reduced services, deferred maintenance, and declining infrastructure.
Avon Lake is already operating on a barebones budget. Only about 25% of our resident wage earners both live and work within the city, making property tax revenue critically important to maintaining essential services and infrastructure.
We're not asking for excess. We're asking for the ability to maintain core services and infrastructure that our residents respect and expect and deserve. Thank you for your time and your consideration.
>> Thank you. Thank you for >> Kelly McCarthy.
Good morning.
>> Good morning.
>> Good morning.
>> Excuse me.
>> Uh my name is Kelly McCarthy. I live in North Ridgeville. I have proudly served our city on the board of education for the last 15 years.
When I joined the board in May of 2011, we were facing drastic budget cuts. The very first vote I had to uh make involved reducing teaching staff. We were borrowing money to make payroll and cutting student programs just to stay afloat.
But over the last 15 years, our city has changed. Our community recognized the value of public education and in 2012 voted to approve a new operating levy.
At that time, we made a bold promise. We would not come back to our taxpayers for additional operating money for 10 years.
Quite honestly, that was almost unheard of.
But we kept that promise. In fact, we have not returned to ask for new operating funds from our taxpayers.
Still, we worked hard to be strong community partners and responsible stewards of public dollars. Because of that trust, our community supported a bond issue to build our academic center for students in grade three through 8, allowing us to open the first public STEM school in Lorraine County. Now, it's a um steam school, including the arts. Most recently, our community once again placed its trust in us by supporting the construction of a new high school, which is scheduled to open in the fall of 2028.
through careful planning, thoughtful policy changes, and the grit and determination of our board, our administration, our staff, and our community, we've transformed our district into a thriving school system.
One where students can truly design their preferred future. So, why does this matter? It matters because now you have the power to make a decision that could undo years of hard work, years spent building trust with our community, and demonstrating strong financial stewardship, all in the name of a tax break that will ultimately cost our community more. Losing 1.7 million again or potentially even more this time will force our district to return to our voters much sooner than anticipated to request additional operating funds. This year alone, the loss of $1.7 million resulted in approximately $360 less in spending per student. And while we have managed to absorb that uh loss through measures such as not replacing staff and eliminating a grade at our steam school, we cannot continue to sustain cuts of another 1.7 million or more so easily.
If these reductions continue, our academic and co-curricular programs will suffer and the services we provide to both our students and community will inevitably be reduced. We understand the desire for tax relief and we respect it, but the tax relief achieved at the expense of public education is not the right answer. There must be a better way. And I sincerely ask you to keep our students, our schools, and our community in mind as you make these decisions.
Thank you.
>> Thank you for coming in, >> Brian.
Sorry about that. I've been up here quicker. Give me a heads up. Brian Baker Township.
>> Morning, Brian.
>> So, first of all, I have a question on number 11. It says in here we're going to do this for two years. Was is that correct, Dave?
>> For 27 and 28 or 25 26 27.
>> No, it's 2 manufactured homes are different than homes. So, >> okay. But I guess >> this is one of those votes every year will come up.
>> Okay. I mean, that's what I want to make sure just clarification because you had said in a previous meeting because, you know, I've spoken about this more than one time about my grandkids going to Lraine schools. You know, I just attended last weekend, my granddaughter graduated from college. She's going to graduate tomorrow morning from Lraine City Schools. She's got two bachelor's degrees and a certificate of completion from the college. You start taking this money away because the college lost about 800,000. And Jeeoff, you should understand this. You sat on the college board. This is an impact that's going to affect this whole community. We're taken away from schools. And Dave, I mean, you've had a personal conversation on the phone about this and you told me you need to get these people to come to the meeting and then you'll listen. Well, they're here today.
>> Yeah, we're listening.
>> And I think you hear what's going on.
>> Oh, yeah.
>> Jeff, and I will tell you this. So, if anybody would really like to see what one of our commissioners did at the South Ammerst meeting, and it was on 3:23 2026, it's at the 50.3 mark. So 30 50 about 50 minutes and 30 seconds in.
You said odds are we will not approve this this year. Do you remember that?
Cuz that's a quote. It's right in the video. It also says we passed this for immediate relief and 25 for the residents which I understood. Dave, me and you had a conversation. Is there any way we can do it every other year because of the state funding? These guys have to turn these these plans into the state. So their plans are in there now.
Now, they're going to have to go back and rework all their plans. You don't have to do that as sitting up here as elected officials, but they do. Some of these guys have to submit a five-year plan, not a three-year plan. Everything you're doing here is hampering them terribly and affecting our children. The other thing that you said, Commissioner Redell, that really bothered me is everybody should stay in their own lane.
You're in these people's lane right now without talking to them.
That's what bothers me is at least have the courtesy to sit down and talk to these educators. They're all here now.
You know, you didn't go out and reach out to them. You guys went to Avon Lake, Marty, and it didn't go too well. If anybody wants to listen to that conversation, Avon Lakes treasurer did a very good job that night explaining to you guys what was going to be the impact.
>> So, I would encourage you to take this off, consider maybe not doing it for a year, and maybe do it next year. We understand people need relief. And then it's crazy is because in number you're going to give relief, but then you're putting a a levy on in number 12 for 911.
>> This don't make a damn bit of sense to me when we do these kind of things. So, >> but I would I would encourage everybody to go to the South Amoris Village meeting. You pay attention to it. You listening to it. Maybe it was a campaign speech. I don't know. But I can tell you is if you say you're not going to do something, you should live up to it and you shouldn't do it. So with that, thank you for my time.
>> Thanks.
>> Hey, Greg. Greg Banzac.
>> Good morning.
>> Good morning, commissioners.
>> Greg Bansick, superintendent of Columbia Local Schools. I'm asking that you either table or vote no on the homestead and owner occupancy tax credits.
More than 40,000 students attend public schools in Lraine County, representing approximately 12% of the population of our county.
School districts including Ammerst, Clear View, Vermillion, Lraine, Yria have already had to cut several millions, several hundred of their staff member and of course reduce important services for their students.
Unfortunately, most of us will be in the same situation very soon. Last year alone, these tax credits cost local schools in Lraine County $10.9 million.
And that number will will even grow um with the new proposal uh that that is on the agenda. Combined with the lack of adequate funding from the state, these reductions are decimating our public schools.
In addition, these losses ultimately cost local residents more money when school districts are forced to return to the ballot because our forecasts fall into deficit spending. So in other words, what you do or what you did last year is ultimately cost the local residents more money in an example in Lraine where they had to go back for an 11 million le or 11 mil levy.
On behalf of the,00 students of Columbia Local Schools and more than 40,000 of Lorraine County, I respectfully ask that the three of you forego these tax credits and prioritize the long uh term stability of public education in Lraine County. And I will also include um you know, O'Brien took my thunder, Mr. Redell, and you did say stay in your lane. And I respectfully ask that you stay in your lane and you help. The state is killing us. It's time that our local people help us. And that's the three of you. Thank you.
>> Thank you, >> Joe Phillips.
>> Good morning.
>> Good morning.
>> Morning.
Gerald Phillips Avon Lake. I'm also a certified public accountant and a tax attorney. Everybody hates taxes and uh a lot of times taxes, you know, are implemented for policy reasons. And issue 11 is is kind of a difficult situation because it affects the county, it affects the school district, uh affects cities and uh and townships uh in their source of revenues and uh it may it affects the school district the most because they get about twothirds of of the taxes.
But, uh, these two taxes have different purposes, the homestead exemption and the 2 and 12% owners, uh, occupancy credit. Okay? And I've heard a lot of people, you know, lowincome people, senior citizens, uh, are already burdened. They're on a fixed income. And if you understand the homestead exemption, okay, it doesn't apply to everybody.
It's limited. It has initially an income tax limitation of 30K. Now with inflation, it's about 41. And it also has a value limitation. So it only applies to a certain amount. Anything in excess, it doesn't apply. And uh Mr. Snagrass says it equals about 400 max per person for a senior who's on a fixed income. So there's different policy considerations when you you do this, you know. Now when you look at the occupancy credit, it's 200 two two and a half%.
Applies to everybody.
Applies to a house that's only worth 50 uh,000 for somebody who's on low income.
It applies to, you know, people who have two million uh dollar houses on uh on Avon Lake on the shore. So, in that case, you know, it applies equally to everybody. And the property tax on the owner's credit tends to be a regressive tax. It burdens the lowincome people the most whereas the higher income people have the ability to pay and that's why we have a graduated income tax. We have a graduated income tax so that we can uh have people who can afford and have the income can pay it. So you got two different policy considerations under both of these and uh those should be considered from a policy consideration.
Uh, I mean, I may not be popular, uh, but I'm kind of in favor of the homestead because I believe doubling it, giving people $400 to 800 who are low income because there's an income tax limitation and it's a value limitation. $400 to a senior uh, and who has to pay uh, property tax increase and mine went up 35%. So, theirs went up about 35%.
That's a burden. So, you know, I think you should table this. I think you should uh get information from uh Mr. Snograss and the school district and see how much tax revenue loss is from the homestead exemption and how much is from the 2 and 12% owners credit because the statute says you don't have to give 2 and 12% increase. says you can specify the amount.
>> You can go from zero to two and a half or not do anything. Uh >> and I think possibly and being uh also an attorney, I think you could possibly make the owner's credit limited to people who are the homestead exemption.
>> Okay, Jared, you got to come back up at public comment, right? You took four minutes, so I don't I give you a different issue, but no, I think >> I appreciate it.
>> Those comments I think uh >> No, they're valid. No, they're good. No, I appreciate it. That's why I let you go on. So, but it's time to wrap it up.
Yeah. Bill William Zimmerman's waiting, so he needs to get up here. So, William, where's he at?
Oh, I think he knows who. Are you coming up or No, >> I believe he had the lead.
>> Oh, >> you guys appreciate who else is. Oh, no. That's it. Okay.
Um, we'll be having we'll be making comments when the issue comes up. Um, I appreciate everything everything has said and we will share with you a lot of the concerns. Hopefully we can answer some of those when that issue comes up in the in the next few minutes.
>> Is there any old business?
>> I don't think we had did we >> no new business to bring up what we talked about.
>> Okay.
>> So, >> board business nine approve and weigh the reading of the commissioner's meeting minutes of May 5th and 8th, 2026.
>> So moved.
>> Second >> discussion. Mr. Moore, >> hi.
>> Mr. Redell, >> hi.
>> Mr. Gallagher, >> hi.
>> 10. Establish compensation for law directors prosecuting violations of state law and municipal courts, Ohio Rise Code 1901 34C for the year 2026.
Lraine Larry Overland 7500 each. North Ridgeville Amherst 5,625.
Avon Lake Avon Sheff Lake 3750. South Amherst and Wellington, 1500. Kipton, Rochester, Grafton, Vermillion, Lraange $750.
So moved.
>> Second.
>> Discussion.
>> Mr. Moore.
>> Hi.
>> Mr. Redell.
>> Hi.
>> Mr. Gallagher.
>> Hi.
>> 11. Authorize a permissive piggyback exemption for homestead in accordance with the Ohio Rise Code section 319.304B 304B and a 2 and a.5% partial real property tax exemption in accordance with the Ohio code section 323.152B3 for tax year 26 for real property and tax year 27 for manufactured homes for taxes payable in calendar year 27 and 28 respectively in Lorraine County.
>> Okay, I'll second for discussion.
>> Discussion.
>> Go ahead. Would you like to talk first about what's going on at the state?
>> I would love to.
>> There's a lot of news that we received in regards to this issue. I'll let you start out. And >> a couple of couple of general comments that this is probably the uh the the most controversial issue that we've dealt with in a long time because it truly pits one group of citizens against the needs of others. Uh if you recall in 2025 the legislature was working on uh trying to do some reform to stem off the loss of all real estate taxes which is an option that still mathematically may not be logically uh available this year but it's still out there on the horizon. So they they were working on trying to unravel a very complex system that you could easily say they created. So but it was it was a long solution. They gave the county commissioners the opportunity to do some immediate relief, but they gave us 45 days to do it. So last year, we weighed it. And when you ask about how what we did and why we made that decision and why we're different than other counties, Lorraine County has 22,000 households that qualify for the homestead exemption. That's a high number. That's a high percentage considering there's many many other counties that may only have in the hundreds. We have we have 38 counties in the state of Ohio that have less than 35,000 people population for the whole county. So, you know, why are we different than others? We're we're the largest county. We're one of the oldest counties and we have a we have an aging population and that's an issue to deal with. The the main issue last year was that well while we understood that that money was going to come from somebody else that somebody else would have a a one or a 2% you know cut to their budget and this would bring substantial relief even though a lot of do not a lot of dollars but a substantial relief to those 22,000 people. They don't have a plan B. They they don't have anything.
They don't have a household income they can cut. So at the end of the day, at the end of the day, we made that decision and yes, at that time we indicated it was for a year and we'd hoped the legislature would make substantial change and try and alleviate the issue. U and and as far as staying in our own lane, I ask everybody to please remember that while we represent everyone in this room, we also represent another 312,000 people that aren't in this room. 45% of them vote not to be have their taxes increased. They have a voice. They they vote and they have a voice. And many of the school levies that pass 52 to 48% or income tax levies that pass 52 to 48%.
That's an indication that there needs to be reform because it shouldn't be that close. Education is a highly valued thing. It separates our country from the rest of the world and we need to do a better job and we need to marshall our resources better. So there are three people at this table there. There are the school systems as we've heard today because they represent 65% of the sales taxes in the county. So naturally the school systems are going to be the largest target for any of these changes.
At the end of at the end of the day 2026 is different than 2025. and we appreciate the fact that that everybody came out. Transparency is a two-way street. Many times we put things on the agenda and nobody calls, nobody writes, and nobody comes. But obviously that wasn't the case today. And so today allows us to put all this information on and many of the arguments made today are not lost on us and many of them are very eloquently stated. and we appreciate staying to facts and removing the political campaign, you know, connotation from remarks. Staying to the facts keeps keeps the conversation better.
So, one of the things that that dawned on me just today because of your participation is that when we reduce the tax, it may well be that it reduces the revenue to the betterrun school districts over the others because it's because it's a it's a number of dollars. But if you're already one of those districts that's that's that's running at 10 or $11,000 per student or you're one a district that's at $16,000 a student, this is going to have a different impact. It it doesn't go on equally. Now, we we do also know that the state legislature has effectively dealt with the uh the owner occupied tax and there's a schedule in there. It's not going to go away. It's just we don't have to enact it if we don't want to. But the state of Ohio has increased the deduction for the owner occupied houses over the next four years and then set it to inflation. So you won't be you won't be bringing your case to us. You'll be taking it back to Columbus.
So I think that I think that what we need to do is remember that there's everybody at the table. There's some that haven't been here and and we do represent everybody and we try very hard not to not to bring undue pain for somebody else's benefit. But I I get in trouble when I say this because I'm I'm one of those 75 year olds. But there's a lot of people out there they did pay their taxes and they thought social security was going to be a life sustaining income for them and they need our help and maybe we need to find a different way to do it. But they need our help too. They they created the future that we now enjoy as we try to plan for the next future.
And I I I also >> okay >> I also wanted to add that one of the things that came out of one of our previous discussions was that yes there's only 12% of the population is kids but they're 100% of our future.
Do >> you have anything?
>> Yeah. Um, one of the things with these economic times that we have, us commissioners have a very difficult task of watching out for money in every area.
And it's important that this forum here today that we have was brought to light.
It's going to tell the taxpayers out there, the residents, it's going to tell everybody out there with all this coverage, you need to be aware of what's going on with our with our expenditures.
We need to watch what the money is. We are only allowed to spend what we get, and we are going to spend our money wisely. we're going to have to make cuts and with rising costs out there and stable income or stable taxes or revenue coming in. It's only going to get worse.
So, um if if uh cost of living goes up 6% or 4% or 3% this year, our budget's not going up. Our revenue budget that is. So, we have to be mindful of it. We have to put ourselves out there. We have to let the taxpayers make the decisions.
So the taxpayers need to know this conversation today. And I myself personally think that uh we should invite uh interested parties to the table with this uh situation so we can get both sides of it. Bring the legislature in so they know what's going on between us all and how you guys feel.
That's where it starts. So I I would like to see us move that direction.
>> Okay. Um I have probably how many pages? at least eight or nine pages here on how and why we made the decision that we made when we passed this. Uh there was an average increase in um let's say I'll use the school systems for an example. I have those numbers right here. Um unvoted on increase of $47 million and the adjustments that we made adjusted that 47 million to uh by 10 109. We had a $36 million increase and everybody was screaming at us in 23 and 24 when all those increases, the township trustees were telling. We'd go to the meetings, everyone's saying, yelling, saying, "These taxes are too high." They were blaming us for the increase. Um, the auditor's office was blaming Columbus.
And it seems like everybody seems to blame Columbus. As we know, since 1997, they still haven't been able to fix the school system that they were told to fix. uh when the uh state of Ohio allowed the county commissioners to at least alleviate some of the pressure of that average 31% uh increase, we did it and we did it quickly because we only had a small window to do that. I did get to go to uh and sit down with the superintendent of Lraine and they they're they were presenting everything showing the hit that they made and I felt extremely bad because they got hit the worst they so what I did is I put this chart together. If people want copies of it I'll give it to you today.
I'll um I'll ask for a hand. I'll have Amy start copying for you right now. Um, but when you look at like when Ava Lake came in and they got a $7.7 million increas $1.3 million adjustment, they still had a net gain from that increase of 6.3 million. Sounds pretty, you know, it sounds pretty good. But then you look at Lraine and they only get an 80 81% net gain after we did the adjustment. So the pressure on us right now is to continue or not to continue or the other option is I believe because we still are working on numbers is to table this and bring this back up on June 2nd at our 3:30 meeting and see uh what the additional information that we seem to be receiving from the state in regards that might give us the opportunity because this was all or nothing the way it was presented to us. Is my understanding correct that we may have the ability to either chop this up, make I mean, you know, there's a lot of things that are happening that we're getting information on. A lot of people are are supporting. I got a lot of phone calls and thank yous from a lot of seniors and which you do you you never get those calls. You only get the complaints. So, it was kind of interesting. So, I anyway, just to let you know, I have a lot of I have the data on what we made the decision on.
When we made the vote, that same data was put up under the screen so everybody could see the numbers and why we made the decisions that we did. We have to do I know you guys have to your budgets every 5 years for the uh for schools. Um I don't think out or three to five. It's just I don't know how you can do that. I really don't. We have to do ours every year. We have a letter that's going to get ready to be sent out to all the elected officials. We cut our capital budget and we are getting uh very close to I you know when we cut our budgets it seems that people like to sue us. So we have a couple elected officials suing us but anyway it's going to get even uglier for the commissioners and we could fix it easily by not passing the homestead and we would receive an additional couple million dollars too. But then you have the aspect of the seniors that are that make less than the 41 or 40,000 that they make. So again this is something I believe we should table today. I think we should have some more dialogue and I think this the decision though has to be made by June 2nd which is our next meeting I believe. Is that correct?
>> It has to be done by July 1st.
>> Oh, July 1st.
>> It has to be done in June.
>> Has to be done in June but it's got to be done by July 1.
>> Okay. Okay. So anyway, that's um some of the comments I have in regards to that.
And if anybody's interested in it, I don't know, maybe you're not. Would would anybody like to see this? Show of hands. How many I'll count right now? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Okay. Hey Amy, you're watching. Can you get about 20 copies for me?
>> Sorry.
She better be watching or and if she's Okay. So, what we did is um I that's why I kind of looked at you when you made the motion. So, we made a motion and we seconded. I prefer to table it. So, how do we move forward?
>> Just amended it. The motion.
>> Does he have to amend it or can I amend it? I'll be amend I amend the motion to table it.
>> Is that all you need for the record?
Okay, then I'll second that amendment.
>> Any further discussion?
>> Any more discussion?
>> I have one little point. One one point is is uh to realize um our county is very extremely conservative. We do have the lowest tax uh sales tax in the state of Ohio and many uh attempts have been made to increase it and uh that in some cases like that we have to start looking at how we're going to get revenue back in.
>> Anything further on the tableing of number 11? Commissioner Gallagher >> I.
>> Mr. more >> I >> Commissioner Mell >> I >> and so tenatively we're probably looking at June 2nd unless we unless we still need more information so >> but keep reading the agenda when it gets published that way we know you're out there >> and if you're not on our list with her with Teresa she'll she's the one that emails out all of our agenda items do you want to yell out your email address so you can get another 150 >> no do you mind >> tuptonount us.
>> So, if you want copies of the agenda and I do appreciate y'all coming in. Do we have to call the vote now?
>> We did. She did.
>> I just did.
>> Okay. Now, usually what happens is we continue with the meeting, but most of you here, our educators are working. So, if you'd like to, we'll take a few minutes if you'd like to leave since I think you were here just for this item.
So, so we do appreciate you coming in.
So, thank you. Yeah. Thanks.
>> How do they get their copies? Oh, if you want your copies.
>> Oh, I'm sorry. Could I email those?
>> We could email them. I mean, Amy would have to get all their email addresses, but >> do we have their email on their on their site?
>> Why do you think more people raised their hands and spoke?
>> Oh, gotcha.
>> Well, either Well, let me see if I can get all of Amy.
>> Yeah, hit pause.
>> Yeah.
Jennifer, you're going to stick it out.
>> And we're back. So, >> under 911 number two 12, requesting Lurine County Auditor pursuant to Ohio res code section 5705.03 3 to certify Lraine County Board of Commissioners the total current tax valuation of Lorraine County and dollar amount of revenue that would be generated by a 050 mil renewal 050 renewal with an additional 0.25 for a total of 75 mills and a 050 mil renewal with an additional 050 mills for a total of 1 mill for the purpose of Lorraine County 911 agency under 5705.19B to place on the ballot of November 3rd to 26 and will be upon the entire territory of the subdivision of Lorraine County, Ohio. So moved.
>> Second.
>> Discussion.
>> Yes. Um the purpose of this is we actually have two levies that pay for 911 half mill each. And what we want to do is we're asking the county auditor to take a look at uh possibly just combine them and just and turn it into one mill.
Is it going, you know, since we get a half mill on one and a half mill on the other, they both expire a year apart.
uh we we felt that maybe let's do an analysis and see if we can figure out if it uh just combine them as one and do we really need the full 1 mil. So this is more for us to follow the path so that when we get all the data all the numbers and do the books to see if we can actually uh do we really need the full mill do we need 75 or a half. So that's what that's what this is all about. So this is the beginning of the process. So those uh that wish to discuss this uh issue um it's going to be an issue that's going to be coming up. We have to when we have to vote on it by sometime in J uh July, correct? I think it's August.
>> I think has to be over to the board of elections by August 5th.
>> August 5th. Okay.
>> If it's this year's ballot, but >> yeah, >> we are ahead of the game.
>> Yep. Which is trying to be so. Okay.
>> Anything further?
>> Nope.
>> Mr. Moore.
>> Hi.
>> Mr. Gallagher.
>> Hi.
>> Mr. Mell.
>> Hi.
>> Community development 13 work.
Kleinfelder Inc. Parisburg, Ohio contract the amount of 433,500 to provide professional services to administer and implement Lorraine Countyy's 1.6 million PY25 CHIP program for the housing repairs and rehabilitation in housing for low and moderate income homeowners in the eligible eligible jurisdiction of Lorraine County. Two proposals were received, this being the most responsive, complying with specifications, and will be paid from the CHIP grant funds contractual purchase professional service account, CDBG, and the contractual purchase professional services home account.
>> So moved, >> second >> discussion.
>> Yes. Yes. This is uh schools aren't the only ones that have an issue with Columbus. This is a a very beneficial program for the residents of Lraine.
However, you'll note that the uh the size of the of the administrative contract is about 25% of the total award for housing repairs and and impacts.
Uh that is not our choice. That is specified by the state code that gives us that money. So, something we want to continue to try and work on, but our hands are tied at this point. And if we want the money for the residents, we have to we have to do have to follow the rules that they give us.
>> Anything further?
>> Yes. Um this this is another example of what the commissioners do behind the scenes. We're looking at ways uh to um streamline and our communication with the state legislature uh in this specific example is very important.
>> Anything further?
>> Commissioner Moore. Hi >> Mr. Gallagher.
>> Hi, >> Mr. Redell.
>> Hi.
>> Under job and families 14, authorized designate Chris Cabba, director to release and accept funds for JFS following the fiscal administrative procedures manual chapter 6 51019682 intercount adjustment of allocations for the period July 1st to 26 through June 30th to 27 and then will be paid from the federal funds account.
>> Move to approve. Second >> discussion.
>> Mr. Gallagher.
>> Hi.
>> Mr. Moore.
>> Hi.
>> Commissioner Redell.
>> Hi. Transit 15 authorize Luring County Transit to complete an application northeast Ohio Areaide coordinating agency for fiscal year 27 section 5310 funding in the amount of 644,000 for enhanced mobility of seniors and individuals with disabilities. This grant if received covers 80% of capital cost, 20% local, and 50% of the operational cost. This new funding source will allow Lraine County Transit to purchase two new vehicles and cover a portion of the operational cost to provide a new fixed route and expanded dial ride services north Avon and Columbia Township.
So moved a second >> discussion want to add anything Karen >> I will add the um the application due date is prompted us to do this in advance of the release of the transportation development plan um so it was a timing issue but I will also say that our first public meeting for the transportation development plan is today at 1:30 at the um Line County Transportation Center 40 East Avenue Anything further?
>> Commissioner Gallagher.
>> Hi.
>> Commissioner Moore.
>> Hi.
>> Mr. Redell.
>> Hi.
>> Airport 16. Entering grant contract with Ohio Department of Transportation Office of Aviation for Fiscal year 26 Ohio airport matching grant program in the amount of 35,100 to conduct an airport master plan study.
>> Move to approve.
>> Second.
>> Discussion.
>> Karen. What about our FA master? What about the >> the the updated master plan? All the chapters have been delivered to the Federal Aviation Administration.
>> So, we are currently just in the review process waiting for them to to give us the final okey.
>> Okay.
And why do we have to do the same thing with Ohio? Can't we use this is for the Ohio airport to conduct a master plan for the state of Ohio?
>> This is for matching dollars.
>> Oh, matching dollars.
>> Yeah. So the generally ODOT aviation will match any any funds that we receive from the federal aviation administration. So this is just a matching grant.
>> Okay.
>> Anything further?
>> Mr. Moore.
>> Hi.
>> Mr. Gallagher.
>> Hi.
>> Mr. Mell.
>> Hi.
>> Under CBCF 17 award contract to airmark for food service for the residents at Lraine Mandina Community Based Correctional Facility 9892 Murray Ridge area. Three bids were received on May 7th. This being the most responsive complying with specifications. This is effective July 1st to 26 through June 30th of 29 with two optional one-year renewals. Effective July 1st to 26, meal costs will be provided at cost in relation to population counts reflected in the bid packet and will be paid from the contractual services account.
>> So moved. Second >> discussion. Mr. Moore >> I.
>> Mr. Mell >> I.
>> Mr. Gallagher >> I. Under the engineer 18 recent resolution 26284 adopted May 8th to 26 approving an honor subdivider agreement with EWGC development group LLC for Emerwood subdivision number 14 in Columbia Township. This is due to the same resolution was adopted by resolution 26253 on April 24th.
>> So moved. Second >> discussion.
>> Bob, do you want to >> No, I think somehow this ended up on there twice.
>> Okay, that's it. Okay. Yeah. You want you going speak to any of the others or No, I don't want to.
>> The other ones just are form of the the the next one is for the um Orchard Meadows. That's just phase two of a subdivision in Yura Township.
>> Okay.
>> And then the third one is phase one of the Orchard Meadows is now complete.
This is where actually we formally accept the streets and they get entered into the the state database for road mileage.
>> Okay.
>> Anything further?
>> Mr. Moore.
>> Hi.
>> Mr. Gallagher.
>> Hi.
>> Mr. Mell.
>> Hi.
>> 19. Approve and enter a subdivider agreement with Lake Murray LLC for Orchard Metal Subdivision number two, Yria Township. Subdivider has submitted proof of ownership, evidence of payment of taxes, certificate of insurance, and professional engineers estimate of construction costs with approved engineering plans and specifications.
Subdivider agrees to bear all costs and expenses in the improvements complemented by the subdivider agreement and pay all plan revenue, inspection, and testing fees.
>> So moved. Second >> discussion.
>> Mr. Moore.
>> Hi.
>> Mr. Gallagher.
>> Hi.
>> Mr. Mell. Right.
>> 20. Accept on behalf of Larry Township Trustees the improvements to Orchard Meadow subdivision number one off Lake Avenue completed by BDC Buildings and Development LLC subdivider. Following roads will be dedicated on the plat of the subdivision in is recorded in volume 119 page 25. Lorraine County Record of Plats Orchard Meadows Drive Township Road T415.302 302 miles length Lake Avenue to South Termini and Red Haven Court Township Road number T416.044 miles length Orcho Drive to West Termini.
>> Move to approve. Second >> discussion.
>> Mr. Gallagher.
>> Hi.
>> Mr. Moore.
>> Hi.
>> Mr. Mell.
>> Hi. Sheriff 21 entering a sub grant award agreement with Ohio Department of Public Safety for the Recovery Ohio Law Enforcement Fund 2026 ROETF25047 in the amount of $94,993.80 for Lorraine County Drug Task Force.
These funds will be applied towards the salaries of the drug task force and authorized payments from account MAG DTF salaries.
>> So moved.
>> Second.
>> Discussion. Mr. Moore.
>> Hi, >> Mr. Roell.
>> Hi, >> Mr. Gallagher.
>> Hi, Karen.
>> Administrator, >> just a brief update. We did hold our second public hearing in regards to the um cancellation of the downtown loop.
The board recalls we were looking to discontinue that service and then use the saved hours towards our dialer ride services for the Lorine County Transit.
Our first public meeting for the transportation development plan is today at 1:30 at the transportation and community center. Um I do anticipate after the release of the transportation plan being able to um bring our group RLS to the the the commissioners and present the plan to you all. Um also wanted to mention it's been a busy transit two weeks. So, I had an opportunity to sit down and meet with um um representatives from Sheffield Lake with regards to some uh transit needs that they have for for their seniors and uh trying to be able to provide a creative way to get some services over to them. So, hopefully we'll be able to get a proposal to them within the next couple of weeks. And >> are you looking at using VIA? Is that what they're looking at or no? Or Dorite? What are they looking for?
They're looking more for a traditional fixed route service. They have um a pretty large group of seniors that will need some um specialized services and such to get just from like their community center to the pharmacy or their community center to a grocery store or you know some simple things like that. We're looking like maybe four hours uh twice a every other week just to get them some some relief because apparently and I didn't know this until I had my meeting there is no bank or uh drugstore in Sheffield Lake. So they have to go outside in order to to get some some very basic services. So we'll work real hard and and see what we can come up with and they're they're willing to partner with us with some of the cost. So, we're hoping to um to be able to to provide a service, a much needed service for them.
>> Yeah.
>> I don't believe they have a drugstore either.
>> Grocery.
>> Grocery store. That is true. Yeah, >> we have a grocery store.
>> Apples.
>> Yes.
>> Well, I hear that they don't always want to go there. So, what are you going to do?
>> That's true.
>> We do have a grocery store.
>> Okay.
>> All righty. Well, that completes my update for today.
Uh, I have nothing. Board correspondence.
>> Move to wave the reading of the board correspondence.
>> Second >> discussion.
Commissioner Dell.
>> I.
>> Mr. Gallagher.
>> Hi.
>> Commissioner Moore.
>> I.
>> New business.
>> Anyone?
>> Um, I do the uh we've been working on I've been working on uh the history of Lraine County Commissioners. No one's ever done a book on that. And I've been I'm up to about 1860. At the meantime, you go to the prosecutor's office, the sheriff's office, the um several of these offices. They have uh like photographs of the previous elected officials and they go back all the way, which is kind of interesting. So, um like for example, the book that I'm doing, we're going to design it. So, I mean, I have no problem paying for it out of my pocket, but then it's going to be designed, but anything paid, all the money from that book will go to our memorial. We have a memorial through the uh visitors bureau that we use to fix up broken memorials for communities uh things like that. And there's some funds there that were it's not taxpayer funds.
It's all private donations and they've been it was actually dormant for eight for about eight years. And so that's what we used to there was quite a bit of money in there and we use that to fix a lot of the local communities um war memorials that's been happening. So So that's some of the things we're working on. The other thing we're working on, I don't know if you brought you you want to show it. We're missing photographs of a lot of uh commissioners, you know. So, I thought uh you know, since Dave's here, maybe I should just give you the list instead of putting it on, but if you don't mind, put it on the screen. A lot of, you know, what's interesting when I was looking at 1824 through 1860 is how many family names are still here in our county. Um it's very, you know, history is really uh interesting to me.
So, I thought it was um the first probably 20 25 years of this county.
It's kind of interesting to see all they were doing was roads, putting in roads and name and the petition process. So, we're looking for photographs of these individuals that were actually um county commissioners. And I thought if you look at the beginning there, some of the you know, you had some of the party affiliations I haven't been able to find. uh the newspapers um it was basically pre-chronicle which is I think it was um they had a name at one time it was then there's some other papers that I can't find but the stories were not there was more national not about local government so um probably was just as boring back then but anyway they uh u so I'm just helping out if the you know if you have any relatives or any photos of commission people that were elected commissioners we would like to at least see if you could get those to us.
Teresa's and Amy, my assistant, are working on that for us. And we're we're going to hopefully have that done uh in time for the u for our 250th celebration.
Look at her. See, she's like, I'm trying to put some pressure on you. Not many.
So, we'll see what we can we'll see.
We'll see. There's supposed to be a meeting next Wednesday with a company to see what they uh if they can put it together for us because they like it to be something nice. So, >> but there's only 59 of 112 that are missing, >> right? That's that's that's all just half. She can do it. I have all the faith in you. But I just want to give an update just that's what we're you know I'm trying to find u I got some side hobbies. This is one of them. So okay, that was all I had.
>> Okay, we're down to public comment.
>> Yes, we are.
Most of most of everybody was writing down. They were putting in both. So I think uh I got Otis on top or did you want to wait till the end? I didn't Otis Lovejoy.
>> Good morning.
>> Good morning.
>> Morning commissioners.
>> Good morning.
>> Um sat here today and I listened to everything about the schools and um there's a lot of things that that come to mind. um the schools are are losing some of the funding um and they're worried about where the who's going to pick up the slack. A lot of times that falls on the parents. And you guys talked about the um the um I can't think what it's called. I'm sorry I sat there so long my brain went shut off. Um the the the what they were against um >> the homestead exemption.
>> Yes, homestead exemption. You were saying how the homestead exemption benefits some of our elderly and you're talking about uh what their needs are and um how limited their their their funding is and they rely on social security and whatnot. All this stuff, you know, one hand is, you know, helps the other. Uh we're still part of that hand and it's just with us. Um, again, you know, I'm being a dead horse by specifying that, you know, the cost of living has gone up drastically and even since we've been out, everything have gotten even more out of control. So, you know, with what we make, you know, it's it's hard for us to get by. But we're also those parents in that community. We're also the ones who have the kids going to those schools. uh we're also the ones who are in that generation where we're taking care of the the gr the parents and the grandparents. And when you think about all that, it's just how do we do those things off what we're making? And then it's just um who's going to process th those those uh those things that that these uh different groups are needing, the daycare and uh for for the children, who's going to process that? the summer camp stuff stuff that you guys brought up just recently with the tanniff funds.
Who's going to process that? You know, the the Medicaid for for for the elderly. Who's processing that with all of us out? It's hurting the community.
And you guys talked about getting them back to uh uh getting the people together to sit down and have negotiations and talk about the things.
I would like for you guys to come to the table, sit down and talk with us because we've come here and I and we've been here week after week. I listen to you guys talk about how different people how you appreciate their passion and how they fight for what what their their um cause is. We're doing the same thing, but for some reason it's falling on deaf deaf ears. So, I just I plead with you guys to come back to the table. We don't want to be out here. We'd much rather be working. And you know, it's just we're part of that community. Help us help you.
>> Okay. Thanks, Otis.
>> Thanks, Otis.
>> Dean Smith.
>> Good morning.
>> Hi. Good morning. Smith. I'm from Job and Family Services.
It must have been hard to watch someone you work with every day as their health declined. Can you imagine the families right now that are experiencing the same thing, watching their loved ones decline while trying to apply for Medicaid?
The person dying themselves are worried about the debt that they are leaving behind. What a way for someone who has worked their whole life to feel at the end. Your friend was wealthy. Most in Lorraine County are not so fortunate.
Imagine the area hospitals with people falling off of Medicaid. Seems to me I saw something about Mercy um could possibly close in the future.
Not sure how how true that is, but um nursing homes and assisted living facilities will not be able to provide services forever without getting paid.
This is a financial strain on all of these entities. Some of them by June 1st will have a half a million dollars in pending Medicaid applications while you've probably already saved over a million dollars by keeping us out and not negotiating. Um, please get back in.
>> Thank you. Thank you, >> Sandra. Sandra Jensen Sandre Jensen 617 Lafayette APS intake 10 years 1777 an hour I'm 63 years old.
I've never been a job hopper. I worked at a pizza place for a year in high school and then I transitioned to the local hardware store where I worked six years. I put myself through college. I worked for Kyhoga County Board of DD for 11 years. I was a stay-at-home mom for 19 years. And during that time, I got on the school board where I'm serving my 19th year. In 2016, I needed to go back to work. I've been at Lraine County for 10 years, plus this time on the strike.
Um, my other jobs, I always felt loved.
Maybe not the pizza place because we were just a bunch of kids, but you know, at the hardware store when my dad died, the owner closed. He closed the store to attend my dad's funeral.
Kyogre County was a wonderful place. My some of my schoolboard colleague, school board people were here today.
I love them.
I love what I do at the job and family services, but I've never really felt appreciated. And and that's it's my choice to stay there. I don't really feel like I work for you. I work for the people of Lorraine County. Um, last spring the job market really stunk and my daughter was in St. Louis. She needed a job. I said, "Hey, try child support.
I think you would like the job." She loved her co-workers. She was challenged by the job. But at the same point, she was immediately didn't feel the love. Do you need the love to work?
I don't know. But um fortunately she's smart, well educated, and she got a really awesome, cool job in Franklin County. She just finished her second week. And every day she tells us something and it's just like we go, "Wow, is that for real? Wow. Are you kidding me? Seriously?" But it is true.
All I want is for you guys to come to the table. Show us some love. Show us some respect.
show us some attention and you you know if you don't want to come to the table that's okay just send your people let's have a talk in the school district we just wrapped up a contract for our teachers no we couldn't give them everything we wanted but it was amicable we were kind to each other and we tried to work hard that's all I want okay >> thank you >> thank you and I'm not going to work anywhere else this is my last job >> so because I'm going to 65 soon. Bye-bye.
>> Is it David Rob Roberts? David, >> you're w David Ronald-Roberts. So, is that you? That's you, I take it. Okay.
>> Common Law.
>> Okay.
>> And by the way, that is my actual name.
I changed my name to uh reflect that. Um Dave Roberts, uh Graange Township. Uh greetings. I have a notice, uh to the people of Lorraine County and to the elected officer officials of Lorraine County uh government. This is an announcement and a notice to the Lorraine County Commission to be put on public record in its true form. And this commission does not have permission to edit the record to do so as treason.
As you are well aware that King Charles came to the United States capital in the United States of America on April 27th, 2026.
This act signifies the British Empire, the crown, surrendered to the Continental Army of the United States of America, surrendering all claims of oversight and control and authority over the government and the sovereign people of America. The king's realm has no standing on this c country as of April 30th, 2026.
This has been in the making for 250 years.
What does what does this mean? This means that the United States of America is a free sovereign nation. A nation of the people in a constitutional republic on the land. The law of the land is constitutional common law. No longer do we one people accept the king's law which is admiral administrative law.
This simply means that no Ohio Revised Code, none of these laws, these courts, the king's courts, without lawful article 3 courts is in honor under the laws of our creator.
This means that the Ohio Revised Code has no standing in law. There is no enforcement allowed by a fundamental law as stated in Malberry versus Madison.
Any law that violates the US Constitution is eviscerated on its face.
>> Okay.
>> So after April 30th, 2026, we only have Constitutional Republic common law. And this is not the Bargill's interpretation of what they believe common law is either. Now, after April 30th, 2026, this commission is operating in the wrong jurisdiction under Admiral Ty law, the law of the sea, as shown by your flags that is present in this room. The gold fringe must be removed immediately, for this is an act of treason under aiding and abetting the enemy.
Final point, with us under a republic, the original 13th amendment is active.
This means no bar member attorney can hold any public office in America. Any bar member is a foreign agent of the crown. They are required by law to have a FAR, Foreign Agent Registration Act, on file with the uh on file with each attorney to present in person his her original certified FAR registration certificate from the Ohio Secretary of State and their anti-bribery statement 18USC 951. This commission has 30 days to correct the jurisdiction of this assembly to reflect that of a republic government and no bar attorney may be present at this proceedings. It is a violation of the 14th amendment sections three and four and you will be held to the standard of the law. Thank you.
>> Hey, thank you for your opinion. Okay, Shauna Hfield.
Morning.
>> Good morning.
>> First, um I'd just like to say that you guys both mentioned, right, Ellen Moore, um elderly and social security needing relief. Um you don't seem to care that they need relief. They need their Medicaid applications processed for long-term care. any of their SNAP applications processed and to be turned back on since a lot of them are discontinued and they shouldn't be. But it seems to only you guys care about the elderly when it fits your purposes. Okay. So, I have a letter from Michelle Simmerman of Lraange. She's speaking on behalf of all county residents that are unable to take off work. Good morning, commissioners. I want to express concern about several issues affecting county residents and working families. First, these meetings are consistently held during normal working hours, making it difficult for many residents to attend, speak, or stay informed about decisions directly affecting their lives. Public participation should not depend on whether someone can afford to miss work.
I'm also concerned about the ongoing Lauren County JFS strike. It has gone on far too long. The workers providing these essential services deserve their fair pay and fair treatment. Many residents struggle to understand why there are so many highly paid administrative positions while frontline employees are fighting simply to earn enough to support themselves without needing assistance themselves.
Over the past several years, residents have watched more high paid administrative positions be added throughout the county government while taxpayers continue to be asked for more funding. Many people are questioning whether this growth in management position is truly necessary or if those resources would be better spent supporting the employees who directly serve the public every day. Residents are not asking for miracles. They are asking for responsible spending, fair treatment of workers, transparency, and leadership that understands the financial realities people are facing every day. Thank you for your time, Michelle Zimmerman and the working residents too busy to be here today.
>> Okay. Thank you.
>> Thank you, >> Jill Haron.
>> Good morning. Good morning.
>> Good morning. Good morning.
Good morning, commissioners. Uh, thank you for the opportunity to speak with you today. Uh, my name is Jill Harren and I'm the owner owner operator of Welcome Nursing Home, a Lorraine County family-owned and operated facility in Oberlin. We recently celebrated our 80th anniversary of providing quality of care to our community. I'm standing before you today to highlight a critical rapidly escalating crisis, excuse me, uh affecting our facility, our staff, and our vulnerable seniors.
We care for a crisis that is directly collateral consequence of the ongoing Lorraine County Department of Jobs and Family Services labor strike. Welcome Nursing Home and uh the other Lorraine County facilities depend on the Lorraine County Department of Jobs and Family Service case workers to assist families and residents through the complex process of Medicaid eligibility.
The case workers provide a valuable service to Lorraine County residents who find themselves in need of governmental assistance for their health care and for their long-term care. Right now, Welcome Nursing Home has 16 pending Medicaid applications for eligibility residents that are completely stalled. To a large corporation, a delay might be just a line item, but to a small familyrun provider like us, it is a direct threat to operational cash flow. At the end of April, the stalemate has left over $140 thou uh,000 in critical revenue uh which is completely frozen. Some of these applications trace all the way back to November of 25, nearly seven months ago.
Some of the applications represent individuals who have already been discharged or who have expired, which makes the eventual approval more difficult. We fully respect the collective bargaining process. However, the ongoing stalemate of no bargaining is negatively impacting healthcare organizations that are committed to meeting the needs of the Lorraine County citizens. The local healthc care providers and vulnerable seniors cannot continue to bear the collateral damage of this disruption.
We urgently request that the board of commissioners prioritize an immediate resolution to the strike so that capable Lraine County case workers can go back and process these severely backlogged applications and more importantly assist and support the eligible Lraine County citizens. Thank you for your time, for your media attention to the critical matter and your leadership in our community. I pray we can find swift resolution. Thank you.
>> Thank you. So do we.
>> Uh Shannon >> Morning commissioners.
>> Good morning.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak today. Uh my name is Shannon president and CEO of Springer Healthcare Systems and Silver Maple Recovery. Uh Springer Healthcare operates five nursing homes in Lorraine County and a drug and alcohol rehab program in Lorraine County as well. Uh Springer Healthcare has been providing care to Lorraine County seniors since 1959.
My reason for being here today is to explain the very real impact the ongoing county strike is having on our organization and more importantly on the vulnerable vulnerable residents and clients we serve every day. Our staff works regularly with county employees throughout the year on Medicaid applications and public assistance programs and those services are critical for the populations we care for. We appreciate the hard work they do and we understand this is a difficult situation for everyone involved. On the nursing home side of our organization, we currently have 32 Medicaid applications in pending status along with 11 additional Medicaid applications waiting to be filed. Right now, that represents over half a million, $570,000 in pending Medicaid reimbursements, and the additional applications would add another $100,000. The more time that passes, the more this number will continue to grow. The financial impact is significant, but the bigger concern is what happens to residents when applications sit untouched for months.
If files are eventually reviewed and information is requested later, delays can create periods of ineligibility that could have been avoided if applications were processed in a timely manner. The impact is just as serious in our drug and alcohol rehab treatment programs.
Many of our clients are with us for only about 30 days. If Medicaid approvals are delayed and more information is requested, it becomes very difficult to reconnect with those individuals. We are also seeing discharge clients struggle to access food assistance and prescription coverage in a timely manner. Some are relying on food banks are going without medications and basic supports during an already fragile period of recovery. I I ask you to recognize that while this labor dispute continues, v vulnerable residents, seniors, and people in recovery are being directly affected every day. We respectfully ask that a resolution be reached as soon as possible because the ongoing delays are having real consequences to our organization, residents, families, and clients in recovery. Thank you for your time.
>> Thank you for coming in.
>> Um Brian and Gerald, you guys both check both. You still want to speak at both?
>> Brian first. Gerald, do you want to speak again?
>> Okay.
Good morning, um, commissioners. Um, you know, I live in Brown Township. We're going through a land use plan, um, out there that's going on right now. And I want I attended a meeting on Wednesday out there. And right before I went to the meeting, I got I got a a person brushed up an article from Attica, Ohio.
And I don't know if you guys are aware of it that there's a Ohio Department of Agriculture awarded grants. Mhm.
>> What is there a reason we're not on that those grants? 22 counties got that.
We're in the middle of a crisis figuring out what we're going to do with our farmland. Did we apply? I mean, I guess I'm just asking is it seems like if they're giving out money down at the state and I think there's about a million dollars that they're putting out 22 of these counties which as close as Madina Hiron but trade to us. So, it's the same farmland divided by a county line. Did did we apply for this money? I mean, did our special project coordinator apply?
>> Yeah, there there was a process and they followed it. Unfortunately, people didn't show up.
>> Who didn't show up?
>> New Russia Township.
>> No, no, no. This is a this is the county gets this.
>> Yes. And there's a there is a process in which the every community in the county has to participate.
>> I brought the article of what you have to do to apply for it. I mean, you have to have your soil and confirmation, all of your townships in in the ring county.
>> Yeah. Oh, we know we we went through the process.
>> But what I'm saying is this doesn't make sense if they're giving out this money.
I agree. I'm surprised they didn't participate.
>> And I at least I'm glad we at least applied for it.
>> No, we didn't apply for it because nobody would participate. Well, we had one township >> and you know there's there's there's a it's government, okay? These guys there's all these rules and rags that you have to do and when the other communities didn't want to participate and our guy set up the meeting and there was a no-show. So that's what happened.
So don't I'm just I know it >> it looks bad. It's frustrating when you got money on the table really the land plan they're going to do. It's going to affect me personally. It's it's the property is >> I just want to let you know that's what happened.
>> Could I could I just a point of privilege if you let >> No, no, go ahead. I didn't even turn the clock on. How's that?
>> So So two points is you know this whole thing on the the Homestead Act, Dave and I hit it again. The clock. Well, I just make a suggestion is like would there be a way that you could maybe reach out to maybe the county education superintendent and maybe a city maybe a couple of them come in and sit down with a committee before you bring it back so that they can at least understand your side of it. Not just here at a two-minut speaking.
>> Oh, no. I've sat with these guys and they they know exactly where I stand.
>> Well, and I know and I know where you stand. Me and you've had this conversation. My last point is is um Senator AR or I would I'm going to call him Senator Armies because that's how far I go back. Um, I've known Jeff probably for 35 years. We've been on the same sides on issues and we've been on the other sides. I I would say both of us treat each other professional. We work through the issues. We did what was right. Um, you guys know I come out of the labor movement. Um, in the labor movement, when someone passes away, we always take a moment of silence for them. Um, I don't know if you can't do it here today or whatever, but I would I would think it'd be very fitting to take a moment of silence for someone that dedicated their life to the county. And like I would say is we had some great fights both ways and but Jeff always kept the conversation open as as as probably as recently as what a month month ago. We had a sit down with Jeff working through some issues trying to make sure if some some things go we have contractors. So I mean we can be contentious at issues but I think we should all we should take somewhere along the line we take a moment of silence for him. With that I just say thank you for consideration.
>> Thank you.
>> Thank you. Yeah, we u in fact I got a photo of you, Brian and Jeff Arm Booster when we did that dedication for that uh old Columbia gas building. I still got that one. So >> we also did get the flags at half stat in the at a staff in uh Columbus here, North Ridgeville.
>> We plan on doing something down.
>> Yeah, there be Yeah, there's um you can't just reduce the flag. The go only a governor can order the president. So that was very kind of I thought Marty you stepped up and we were talking about it and he called the governor's office and they allowed it. So, thank you, Gerald Phillips. Where's he at? Oh, okay.
Gerald Phillips, Avon Lake.
Uh JFS, I'm under the impression that you spent $600,000 in legal fees in connection with the bargaining uh dispute. And if you take 2,000 hours for one employee for a year, that comes out to be 300 employees.
All right. Uh, >> I better hit the >> and that's math.
>> A dollar an hour. Okay.
And if you do that, there's 140 employees.
You've already spent legal fees for two years that you could have given them a dollar raise. So, you know, you're incurring costs and in lie of that, you could have gave them a raise.
uh OC 323.152B3 basically says the resolution for the homestead exemption or the the owner's credit shall specify the amount of the partial exemption which may equal up to 2 and a half%. So you have the discretion to do any percent and I believe you can have the discretion to limit that to individuals who qualify for the homestead. Now, I didn't hear anybody clap after I spoke because all the superintendent there, but you know, contrary, you know, you know who's eligible for the uh homestead? Veterans, >> disabled people, seniors.
>> So, this may be unpopular, but I if I was in your shoes, I couldn't vote not to double that for those needy people.
Okay? you know, as far as the owner's credit, you know, I mean, I live in Avon Lake. There's a lot of expensive houses.
There's a lot of people who are making a lot of money and they're getting that credit and they got the ability to pay.
That's why I try to talk about the rationale of of taxes and regressive taxes. So, you know, I'm glad you tabled it and I think uh Mr. Snagrass should come up and on the homestead find out how much each school district and entity is losing because you're losing money too.
>> By calculation, you probably lost what?
How much did you lose on the county?
Over two million >> and you're on a budget crisis. So, >> we didn't lose it.
>> Yeah. So, you know, all three parties lose. Okay.
>> That's an open discussion. you know, >> the definition of losing, you know, when they when the 31% of your taxes are increased unvoted on, you know, I'm just letting you know, Jerry, >> I think you pointed it out very uh uh specifically. All you're doing is you were taking away a windfall that they got from the valuation.
>> Thank you. That's >> and and I understand that. So, >> okay, good.
>> If school districts didn't properly plan, then I guess >> Well, they didn't see it coming. for their defense. They didn't see it coming. So, >> yeah. Well, you didn't see it coming either. You had what, 45 days to act.
>> So, uh, you know, >> okay, >> I would say this time, make sure you measure twice and cut once >> and and I'm I'm glad they're here.
>> I agree.
>> I'm getting tired of it just me, Bill, and JFS being here.
>> Thank you.
>> Thank you, Jerry. Thank you.
>> Okay, we're adjourned. Well, you're going to executive session.
>> All right, we're going to adjourn and go into executive session with the FA.
>> Are you okay? Well, come on up. We're not adjourned. Okay.
>> You're going to race those.
>> What's that?
>> Was there somebody else?
>> Jennifer Penn. The high school in Michigan have to be patient.
>> Come on. Come on.
>> We're t he's talking about Dave.
>> All right. I'll wait.
No, no, you're ready. I'm just >> All right.
>> So, Jennifer Ferbos, Councilwoman again from Avon Lake, and I really thank you all for tableabling the idea on number 11 so that you could not only take the information that was presented today, but have the opportunity to get a hold of some of the stakeholders in a room and to discuss it. And um Mr. Phillips and I sometimes don't agree. And on this one, I'm going to be agreeing with him.
and he knows historically that that we have quite a history. But anyhow, I think that you have the opportunity to decouple maybe those those two concepts.
One, the homestead exemption from the 2.5 and see, you know, what your balances, but I want to thank you again for taking the time to table it.
>> Yeah. Thanks.
>> You're welcome. Thanks.
>> It looks like that the state of Ohio may be doing it on their own and we may not have to do it, right? I mean, that's kind of we're hearing a lot of things.
We want to make sure if we don't have to do part of it or are we allowed to do part.
>> So, we'll find out. We'll find out. So, I'm just glad we everybody showed up to talk about it. That's that's important.
So, um >> actually we I think commissioner, we have some options in 26 that we did not have in 25. It was a all or nothing kind of thing because it was all done in haste to try to react to the to the anti- group. And so when they did do their thing, they also, I think, gave us some latitude that we still don't have uh what do you want to call it?
Administrative advice on yet.
>> Yeah. But we'll hopefully we'll have it soon. So, >> yes.
>> Okay. So, >> yes, recess.
>> Make a motion to recess.
>> No motion. We want a recess or executive session.
>> Motion to go into executive session.
>> Yeah. Motion.
>> Motion to go into executive session.
>> Yes.
>> I motion.
>> Okay. I'll second >> discussion. Mr. Gallagher. Hi, >> Mr. Moore.
>> Hi, >> Mr. Redell.
>> Hi.
>> Sorry.
session.
>> We are adjourned.
Wow, it's amazing.
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