Clark County Commissioners Approve $2.8 Million for DJFS
At the December 29, 2017 meeting of the Clark County Commissioners, authorized contracts for the Department of Job and Family Services (DJFS). First, they authorized a contract with Agape for Youth, Inc. for $120,000 to provide a service coordinator to children and families to prevent children from entering the child welfare system, to prevent out-of-home placements, to assist in timely reunification of a child placed out of the home and to prevent placement disruption. The contract is effective January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2019.
They also approved a contract with CHOICES, Inc. for $345,722 to provide Parent-Aide services for the DJFS Family and Children Services cases. The contract is effective January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2019.
The commissioners amended one contract with Oesterlen Services for Youth and approved a second contract with them. The amended contract extends the current agreement through March 31, 2018 to allow case transition from Oesterlen to the new provider and minimize the impact of the family and children. The contract is for $383, 680. No additional funds were allocated to the contract.
They also authorized a contract with Oesterlen for $240,000 to provide a service coordinator to children and families to prevent children from entering the child welfare system, to prevent out-of-home placements, to assist in timely reunification of a child placed out of the home and to prevent placement disruption. The contract is effective January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2019.
Finally, they approved a contract for DJFS with Travel Specialties, Inc. for $2,170,000 to provide transportation services for eligible DJFS clients from January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2019.
For the Coroner’s office, the commissioners authorized a contract with Storer Mortuary Transport to remove and transport bodies. The rate for removal and transport to Springfield Regional Medical Center is $100 per transport. The rate to remove and transport to Montgomery County Coroner’s Office is $110 per transport. These rated are effective January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018.
The commissioners also authorized an intergovernmental agreement between the Clark County Commissioners, Clark County Solid Waste District, and the Clark County Combined Health District for $130,000 to provide staff equal to one full-time Registered Sanitarian with support staff to administer and enforce state and federal laws and regulations applicable to solid waste for the District. The agreement is effective January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018.
For the County Engineer, the commissioners cancelled the contract with Columbus Engineering Consultants, Inc. for $49,000 for engineering services for the North Hampton Road Bridge. The cancellation was effective December 29, 2017. The contract was cancelled because neither party enforced the contract.
In addition, they authorized Clark County Offices to participate in the State of Ohio and ODOT 2018 and 2019 Cooperative Purchasing Programs. This allows the counties, townships, municipal corporations, conservancy districts, township park districts, port authorities, water and sewer districts, transit boards, universities and colleges to purchase machinery, material, supplies and other articles from ODOT.
They also authorized County Engineer John Burr to use a “Force Account” for bridge, culvert and road work during 2018. A force account is a payment method used for extra work if the contractor and the engineer are unable to negotiate prices for revised work. It authorizes the engineer to update projects without a formal contract. According to County Administrator Jennifer Hutchinson the use of a “Force Account” helps save the county money.
In addition, the commissioners instructed the Clerk to advertise for bids for two engineering programs. The first bid is for the Road Reconstruction project. The bids are due in the Commissioners’ Office by 10:00 a.m. n February 8, 2018. In addition, they instructed the Clerk to advertise for 2018 unit prices for asphalt, ready mix concrete and aggregate. These bids are due in the commissioners; offices by 10:00 a.m. on January 25, 2018.
For the Clark County Board of Development Disabilities (DD), the commissioners approved a collective bargaining agreement with the Professionals Guild of Ohio. The agreement covers RNs and LPNs employed at the Mueller Center and Quest. The agreement included establishing 12-hour work shifts, a 3.5% wage increase, and a shift differential increase from $0.35 to $1 per hour. According to Director of Human Resources of DD Cherie Lamborn, “The changes were made to help recruit and retain staff.”
In regular business, the commissioners set the date and time for the annual reorganizational meeting for the Clark County Commissioners for 8:30 a.m. on January 3, 2018 in the commissioners’ conference room.
They also approved temporary appropriations for 2018. Hutchinson explained, “I allocate ¼ of last year’s budget to operating accounts to keep us operating until a permanent budget is approved. The temporary budget does not include any capital expenditures.”
The next meeting of the Clark County Commissioners is scheduled for January 3, 2018 at 8:30 a.m. in the Commissioners’ Conference Room at 50 E Columbia Street.
Posted January 5, 2018