By Carol McIntire
Editor
December 1, 2009
The Carroll County Department of Job and Family Services (DJFS) is doing its part to jump start the economy in Carroll County.
Kate Offenberger, director, outlined the department’s newest program Monday for county commissioners. She said the county is one of 47 in Ohio to receive funding for the Subsidized Employment Program. Carroll County’ allotment is $47,000. A total of $18 million was made available to the counties.
Offenberger said the program began Dec. 1 and continues until Sept. 30, 2010. Under the guidelines of the program, employers will be reimbursed up to 60 percent of an employee’s wages and benefits for a six-month period. Employers do not need to be located in Carroll County to receive the benefits, however the employee must reside in the county. Employees must be eligible to receive benefits under the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program and have an income within 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines.
The addition of the program to the DJFS lineup required commissioners to approve an update to the agency’s Prevention, Retention and Contingency (PRC) plan.
In an unrelated matter, commissioners discussed the county’s 911 system in detail. Commissioner Tom Wheaton asked President Larry Garner if he had contacted a man who called the Sheriff’s office about six weeks ago who was in need of an ambulance. EMT Ambulance was using a GPS system to locate the address, which caused a delay of about 45 minutes until the ambulance arrived. Garner said he has not spoken with the man, who suffered a heart attack. “You better get the dispatch center straightened out or you’re going to have someone dead in the county,” Wheation said. He noted the county’s present system of addresses does not match up with GPS longitude and latitude, thus making it nearly impossible to find addresses using the system.
Commissioner Garner urged residents calling the sheriff’s office in emergency cases to dial 911 and not use the 330-627-2141 number. “It’s a lot faster that way,” he said. “I’m not sure if they patch the call right in to the ambulance service or not, but the information comes up on the screen when you call 911.”
Garner said the county is purchasing a new mapping system and it will be connected to the GPS system to help locate addresses in a more timely manner.
Wheaton also said Sheriff Dale Williams stated in a meeting last week the 911 Phase 2 system (for cellular phone usage) will be up and running by Jan. 1, 2010. “How can that be true when you haven’t even purchased the equipment?” Wheaton asked.
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“We’ve been told for the last three years it would be up and running (by specified dates) and it still isn’t.” he added. “We have $300,000 sitting there and have received three extensions to implement Phase 2. How long will it before we don’t get another extension and have to give the money back?”
He said the county is to receive $90,00 per year for the next four years from a tax on all cell phones in Ohio. “Who is going to monitor that money?” he asked. “The money for Phase I was not used as it was suppose to be, it was used for salaries. They were suppose to put back $20,000 per year for repairs and it wasn’t done. We ended up paying the bill for repairs.”
He said the plan for Phase 2 was written so that originally the money can only be used to purchase equipment. Then later, you can make a plea to the state to allow some of the money to be used for salaries,” he said.
Wheaton noted Garner has not called a meeting of the 911 Committee since he (Wheaton) resigned in June. Who is authorizing this stuff? Do you have bids for the equipment?”
Garner said two price quotes have been received and they have been waiting a long period of time for a quote from Verizon, which has not been received. “Pretty soon I’m going to tell him (Sheriff Williams) to go with one of the bids he has,” Garner said.
“You haven’t even signed a contract or ordered the equipment and it’s going to be up and running by Jan. 1? There’s no way,” Wheaton stated.
He made a motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Doyle Hawk, to keep the Phase 2 money under the control of commissioners. Garner did not vote “yes” or “no” on the motion. “The 911 Committee can make recommendations on how they want to spend the money, but they have to come to us for final approval,” Wheaton said.
In other business, commissioners:
-SIGNED an agreement with Ohio Regional Development Corp. (the county’s consultant) for administration services on the Ohio Energy Grant if the county receives funding at a cost not to exceed $47.800. The money will come from the grant.
-AGREED to review an updated policy and procedure manual at the request of Sheriff Williams.
-IMPOSED the frost law for the period of Dec. 1, 2009, through May 1, 2009, which reduces weight limits on county roads by 25 percent.
-RECEIVED the weekly dog pound report for the period of Nov. 23-28 showing 21 impounded, 21 tagged and two redeemed. One citation was issued for a dog running at large.
-REAPPOINTED Carl Winters to the Library Board for the term of Jan. 1, 2010, through Dec. 31, 2016.
-ALLOCATED the marriage, divorce, dissolution and annulment fees to the following abuse and domestic violence centers: 10 percent to CARITAS House in Carroll County, 40 percent to Harbor House in Tuscarawas County and 50 percent to the Alliance Area Domestic Violence Center in Stark County. |
