Sales tax figures show growth

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County sales tax numbers were up and in positive territory, Highland County Board of Commissioners President Jeff Duncan said Wednesday.

“It was up over $90,000 better than last year,” he reported during commissioners’ regular meeting. He said that according to data from the Ohio Department of Taxation the monthly actual figure is up $91,537.18.

“According to my calculations, it was up $588,366 for the year over last year,” Duncan added.

He said that local purchasing continued to spur excellent sales tax numbers in Highland County, and he extended his personal thanks to everyone for shopping local.

Ohio Department of Taxation figures show that after a slow January, permissive sales tax receipts in the county, when compared with 2019, were strong in February, March and April before declining in May, and then dropping into negative territory in June and July due to business shutdowns caused by the pandemic.

During the months of August and September, though, sales tax receipts came roaring back as Highland County purchases drove those receipts into the six-figure column for the first time of the year, with September receipts alone topping out at just short of $165,000 more than the same time last year.

Also Wednesday, six more requests for funding and reimbursements through the Coronavirus Relief S-22 Fund were approved by the governing board consisting of Highland County commissioners Jeff Duncan, Terry Britton and David Daniels, and prosecuting attorney Anneka Collins. The board’s other member, auditor Bill Fawley, was absent from Wednesday’s meeting.

The requests included:

• Highland County Sheriff, $198.43, for reimbursement for supplies used in cleaning and sanitizing of the dispatch area of the justice center, was approved by unanimous vote.

• Highland County Sheriff, $1,250, for the purchase of a laptop computer for inmates to use in accessing virtual meetings and court hearings. Sheriff Donnie Barrera noted in his request that approval would remove the necessity of having to transport inmates back and forth to the courthouse from the justice center, and also would reduce in-person contact in court hearings. This was approved by unanimous vote.

• Highland County Engineer/Tax Map office, $7,464.60, for reimbursement of unbudgeted administrative leave. Collins was the lone “no” vote.

• Highland County Auditor, $11,595.43, for reimbursement of unbudgeted administrative leave. Collins again voiced a “no” vote.

• Highland County Commissioners, $4,290, for permanent installation of plexiglass shields in the OSU Extension Office, was approved by unanimous vote.

A special meeting of the county commissioners was scheduled for Friday, Nov. 20 at 10 a.m. in the Highland County Administration Building’s large basement room for finalizing any last minute CARES Act funding requests and subsequent paperwork required by the auditor’s office.

“Auditor Fawley has some things to do on Friday also, so it’s important that we get this all done correctly,” Britton said.

In other matters, eight line item budget transfer resolutions were approved, along with another resolution authorizing Highland County Engineer Chris Fauber to reduce the load limit on a bridge on Sicily Road that spans the north fork of Whiteoak Creek.

One other resolution authorized Sheriff Donnie Barrera to purchase a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee from Haag Motors, in addition to resolving that other vehicles from the department would be traded through the dealership.

Two contracts received commission approval Wednesday, one being an annual renewal between the Highland County Justice Center and Aramark for continued food services through next year.

The other contract between Highland County Job and Family Services and Pressley Ridge for family preservation services was approved to begin on Jan. 1, 2021 and extend through Dec. 31, 2025.

Reach Tim Colliver at 937-402-2571.

Highland County commissioners (from left) David Daniels, Jeff Duncan and Terry Britton are pictured during the review of CARES Act reimbursement and purchasing requests Wednesday.
https://www.timesgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2020/11/web1_Commish-18-Nov-20.jpgHighland County commissioners (from left) David Daniels, Jeff Duncan and Terry Britton are pictured during the review of CARES Act reimbursement and purchasing requests Wednesday. Tim Colliver | The Times-Gazette
Commissioners approve six more COVID funding requests

By Tim Colliver

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