Ashland County Commissioners reorganize board for 2022
ASHLAND - Several changes to the leadership and personnel were made at a special Ashland County Commissioners meeting on Jan 10.
Previous meeting: Ashland County receives Ohio Auditor State Award for financial reporting for 2020
Nikki Hiller was named temporary president and then nominated James Justice as the commission president for 2022. The nomination and approval were both accepted.
Mike Welch was approved as the vice president for 2022.
Following both changes, Justice will serve as the official voting representative of Ashland County and Welch will serve as the alternate voting representative for the county.
After taking over the president’s duties, Justice then read a letter of resignation from Business Administrator Erin Collins, effective Jan. 14. Collins will be relocating out of state.
Justice said the board will look at “every option” when looking to fill the job.
“Erin did an excellent job with the CARES Act and ARP,” said Welch. “There was so much learning to go along with that. We thank her a lot and wish her the best.”
“She did an excellent job,” added Commissioner Denny Bittle. “When we hired the business administrator, we didn’t realize the CARES and ARP was coming. We got a little lucky when we hired her.”
“I echo the same sentiments,” replied Justice.
Board approves individual appointments for the year
Justice was appointed to the positions of Kn-Ho-Co Governing Board, Board of Revision, Family and First Council, Senior Citizen's Board, 911 Advisory Board and Community Corrections Board.
Welch will serve on the Area Economic Development Council, County Land Bank and Records Commission.
Bittle will serve the County Land Bank, LEPC, SWMP and Erie Basin RC&D.
One appropriation was made to the CHIP Revolving Loan in the amount of $28,000 for current expenses.
Two additional appointments were approved to the Local Emergency Planning Committee with Elizabeth Cante from the Disaster Program Specialist, American Red Cross and Lt. Brad Bishop of the State Highway Patrol now serving.
UP NEXT The commissioners will meet Thursday, Jan 13 at 9 a.m. in the Commissioner’s Conference Room on the second floor of the County Office Building. The meetings are open to the public, but also live-streamed on the Ashland, OH County Government Facebook page.
This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Ashland County Commissioners reorganize board for 2022
