MOUNT VERNON — Knox County is part of a multi-county group working to recruit employees not only for businesses in their respective counties, but also counties throughout the network.
“It’s getting national attention because it has never been done before,” Brandy Booth, administrator of Opportunity Knox Employment Center, told the county commissioners on June 15.
Scott Boone, director of Knox County Job and Family Services, said he initially had reservations about recruiting employees for out-of-county employment.
“I was concerned how that would affect our relationship with Knox County employers,” he said. “We’ve since talked about it, and it could be an opportunity rather than something that we fight about.”
The idea behind the 16- to 18-county collaboration is that by recruiting for businesses that have a big footprint, such as Intel, individual counties will help local residents find jobs in addition to helping attract advance companies coming to the area.
“Working with the Area Development Foundation, we can use this as a selling point to get businesses to come in,” Booth said. “But we need to work carefully to balance that with our existing employers.”
“We want that balance because our current employers are important to us,” Commissioner Teresa Bemiller said. “But there are people in the county who will want those jobs.”
Booth said there are a lot of plans in the works, and she is putting together proposals for next year. John Trott, executive director of Workforce Investment Board Area 7, said the workforce association is ready to fund those proposals.
“We appreciate the state giving preference to counties to decide what works,” Commissioner Bill Pursel told Trott. “We want to be able to make our decisions for what’s best for Knox County.”
Seventeen students are enrolled thus far in the JFS summer youth program, which has a capacity for 24. Geared toward lower-income and foster youths, the program pays $13 an hour; youths are guaranteed 20 hours of work a week.
Dog shelter
Dog Warden Brian Biggerstaff reported that Petco donated $2,500 to the shelter as part of its grand opening celebration.
The shelter name will officially change to the Knox County Dog Shelter rather than animal shelter since the facility does not take any animals other than dogs. Plans continue for minor renovations, including updating the break room, office space, and lobby.
Additionally, the shelter will install a new curb cut later this summer so that it has a separate entrance from Ewers Electric. Landscaping will be done in the current driveway area between the shelter and Ewers.
The Leadership Knox group is interested in replacing dead shrubs, planting flowers, and adding mulch at the shelter as part of its hands-on service project.
Fifty-nine dogs entered the shelter in May and 55 left. Of those leaving, 23 were adoptions and 22 were returned to the owner. As of June 15, there are 20 dogs at the shelter; 18 are available for adoption.
Emergency Management Agency
On June 22, Director J.T. DeChant and Assistant Director Amy Seward updated the commissioners on EMA activities.
Presentations and exercises related to law enforcement’s response to residential/commercial structure fires, a Central Ohio Trauma Systems communication drill, and the student/family reunification process for local schools.
Planning activities included planning for extended power outages in congregate care facilities. A recent power outage at a health care facility highlighted the need to develop private sector plans for triaging patients: which ones can go out of town, which ones need to stay local, and whose personnel will stay with the patient.
Knox County EMA received $15,739 in Emergency Management Reimbursement Grant funds and $18,752 in Round 3 of American Rescue Plan Act funding.
EMA also submitted a $15,699 grant to the Knox County Foundation for gunShot Box simulator and forcible entry tools for law enforcement cruisers. If received, the grant will complement a $2,500 donation from Mount Vernon Elks Lodge #140 received last December.
Other action
The commissioners approved establishing a capital project fund for the Knox County Service Center, Knox County Courthouse, and Knox County Sheriff’s Office/jail.
The goal is to have funds available in advance for large projects such as the cupola and courthouse renovations. Appropriations cannot exceed $10 million and the funds cannot accumulate money for more than 10 years.
Any money not used within the 10 years is returned to the county’s general fund and the capital project fund is closed. The commissioners then have the option of opening another capital project fund and making contributions to the new fund.
Commissioners took the following additional actions between June 12 and June 23:
•Awarded the bid for Knox County engineer’s box culverts to Mack Industries for $150,612.00. Lindsay Precast submitted a bid of $228,483 and Pro Flex a bid of $319,452. Engineer’s estimate was $161,350.
•Approved the flooring contract between Knox County Department of Job and Family Services and Barefoot Floors in the amount of $184,917
•Approved the Knox County sheriff’s annual report for 2022
•Conducted a salt brine hearing to consider the application of Mid-Ohio Paving, Inc., 6095 Columbus Road, to apply brine as needed for dust control upon private roads, drives or similar surfaces on the business property and passed a resolution approving the same
•Approved invitation to bid/request proposals for substance abuse screening for JFS
•Met via ZOOM with Columbia Gas representatives and Lori Totman, director of the Knox County Park District, regarding replacing the culvert under the Heart of Ohio Trail and clearing trees and overgrown areas in Mount Liberty near the Columbia Gas transmission meter site
•Approved agreement between JFS on behalf of Family and Children First Council and the Knox County Board of Developmental Disabilities for early intervention service coordination
•Approved Memorandum of Understanding between Family and Children First Council and Colette A. Hart, coordinator
