List for JFS position down to three

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The list of candidates to fill the position for the deputy director position at Job and Family Services has been narrowed to three, according to commissioners at Wednesday’s meeting.

Commissioner Jeff Duncan said a “panel of folks” that included the commissioners have interviewed the 10 applicants for the position and expect to interview the narrowed field of three in the coming week.

In previous meetings, commissioners have discussed the county’s intention to hire for the position in preparation for the retirement of current director Deborah Robbins.

Commissioner Shane Wilkin, though not present at Wednesday’s meeting of the Highland County Board of Commissioners, said previously that Robbins has nearly four decades with the agency, and when she goes she’ll take with her “a lot of institutional knowledge.”

The commissioners, to help ease the transition and to give Robbins a chance to impart her knowledge, decided to hire a deputy director to work with Robbins for about six months prior to her departure.

Wilkin’s absence at Wednesday’s meeting was due to he and deputy clerk Nicole Oberrecht attending an Economic Development Administration meeting in Columbus.

On another matter, commissioner Tom Horst said that sales tax revenues for the county are “staying up.”

The permissive sales tax received in October was $522,345. In September, the county received $590,743. The permissive sales tax receipt totals are from sales taxes collected in the county in a given month.

Horst said the sales tax revenue accounts for about two-thirds of the county’s general fund budget.

“People are still shopping in Highland County and we appreciate that,” Horst said.

In other business, the bid opening for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) fire hydrant replacement project in Lynchburg brought in two bids.

One was from Rose Excavating out of New Richmond was for $78,065 and the other was from Downing Construction of Baltimore was for $304,000.

While there is a sizeable difference between the two bids, Horst speculated that perhaps there was some confusion on the part of the preparer of the lowest bid as to the scope of the project. But he said the matter could be “sorted out” by the project engineer, who is to review both bids.

Clerk Rhonda Smalley reported that a training through County Risk Sharing Authority (CORSA) for the department heads in the county on Tuesday was successful. Later, Smalley said that meeting the training requirement helps the county get a credit toward its liability insurance through CORSA.

Reach Angela Shepherd at 937-393-3456, ext. 1681, or on Twitter @wordyshepherd.

Commissioners, (l-r) Jeff Duncan, Shane Wilkin and Tom Horst are pictured during a previous meeting.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2015/10/web1_NewCommishPrint1.jpgCommissioners, (l-r) Jeff Duncan, Shane Wilkin and Tom Horst are pictured during a previous meeting.
County’s sales tax revenue continues to remain solid

By Angela Shepherd

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