Repair or replace was the question under discussion at the weekly meeting of the Highland County Board of Commissioners as it related to a nearly two-decade old air-conditioning unit at the Highland County Justice Center.
Commissioner Jeff Duncan said a quote from Weller Plumbing and Heating of morer than $5,000 had been received for repair of the unit, or the trouble-plagued device could be replaced for $27,530.
“This is another unit that has not been replaced and is an original piece of equipment,” Commissioner Terry Britton said. “I think we’ve replaced two out there, and I believe we have two more that were put in when the Justice Center was built.”
Commissioner Gary Abernathy said that air-conditioning was also top of the mind at the Highland County Courthouse, after he paid it a visit Tuesday during monthly grand jury proceedings.
He said with the recent spell of heat and humidity, and after consultation with the commissioners, window unit air-conditioners were secured and installed in both the grand jury room and assistant prosecutor’s office.
A motion was ultimately approved to replace the ailing Justice Center unit, and Abernathy added that in lieu of issues the courthouse has experienced in recent years, it was time to do more than “a band-aid approach with that building, too.”
At Wednesday’s meeting, everyone was encouraged to get out, support and enjoy the annual Festival of the Bells, which started Thursday and continues with fun, food and activities throughout Friday and Saturday.
Friday night at 6 p.m., local favorite Blue Steel rocks the main stage followed by Tyler Rich at 9 p.m., whose next gig will be playing Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry on July 10.
The Festival of the Bells concludes with a full day of fun on Saturday with country artist Devin Dawson playing the main stage at 9 p.m.
“This is a good thing for both the county and the community,” Duncan said. “With the hard work the committee has put in, this should draw crowds from other communities as well, so we encourage everyone to be safe and have a good time.”
During last week’s meeting, commissioners opened sealed bids from three companies vying to make upgrades to sewage grinder pumps in the Rocky Fork Lake area.
Keen Pump Company emerged as the winning contractor based on the recommendation of Steven Canter of Environmental Engineering Service, who advised commissioners to accept its $210,000 bid.
Commissioners also approved a contract for wastewater system repair and replacement at Rocky Fork Lake with the Ohio Public Works Commission, which Duncan said was directly related to economic development in the region.
Commissioners placed their signatures on a lone contract that he called “an annual and routine, but very important” contract involving the Highland County prosecutor and the Child Support Enforcement Agency.
The child support IV-D amended contract will extend through the end of the year.
With the acquisition of a new vehicle for the Highland County Emergency Management Agency, commissioners felt the vehicle it replaced could be well-suited for use in another capacity in the county, but that graphics indicating it to be an EMA vehicle need to be removed.
They agreed to accept Full Spectrum Graphic’s bid of $325 for removal of EMA signage.
In other matters, commissioners approved four resolutions that were line item budget transfers, with four other resolutions from June rescinded since they dealt with budget transfers that were not needed.
Reach Tim Colliver at 937-402-2571.
