LOGAN — The Hocking County Commissioners met Thursday at their regularly scheduled time to discuss ongoing county engineering projects, mental health and drug recovery programs, and more.
Engineering firm DLZ’s Gary Silcott was the first appointment of the morning, and he relayed new information on the Hocking Valley Scenic Trail (HVST), the full scope of which will hopefully connect Mingo Park with the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway in Nelsonville.
As part of the first phase, the HVST is set to receive $550,000 to connect the Aqueduct Park on East Front Street with the Logan-Hocking Middle School, Silcott said.
The engineering firm is still working on obtaining a 20% match in funds for the grant, potentially to come through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
Phase 1 of a Rockbridge sewer improvement project is moving forward with the contractor BLD, and according to Silcott, a pre-construction meeting is scheduled for Aug. 26.
A feasibility study is wrapping up on the Haydenville sewer project, to hook up the community and surrounding area with Logan’s municipal sewer system. The engineering firm’s next step is to apply for a loan for design through the EPA’s Water Pollution Control Loan Fund (WCPLF).
Silcott called it a “good chance” that the county could receive a “principal forgiveness loan” that doesn’t require payback.
The demolition of the Hocking County Jail is in a bit of a “snag,” Silcott said, due to its location in a historic district. “We’re working to get through that,” he added.
The Scenic Hills Senior Center addition is nearing a successful conclusion, “substantially complete,” with only a few items left on its punch list, according to Silcott. The contractor for that project is Good Builders. An open house for the addition is scheduled for Aug. 24.
Two people from the Ohio 317 Board visited the commissioners Thursday: Marissa McDaid and Maria Hofstetter. The 317 Board is a joint effort among Athens, Hocking, and Vinton counties to combat issues of mental health, alcoholism, and drug addiction.
The coalition has representation from regional entities such as Hopewell Health and Integrated Services, as well as local law enforcement and retired doctors and nurses.
“Our origins stem from a high degree of opiate problems,” McDaid said, “but there are many other problems (in the region) so we’ve evolved from there.”
Their visit came ahead of International Overdose Awareness Day on Aug. 31, with a request for the commissioners to sign a Hocking County Prevention and Recovery Proclamation.
“Treatment works and people can recover,” McDaid said. The proclamation was successfully passed and signed.
For those interested, there is an Overdose Awareness Event at Worthington Park on August 28, from 3-5 p.m.
Hocking County Auditor Chris Robers sent a letter to the commissioners, dated Aug. 12, saying that the county can pursue repayment from former commissioner Jessica Dicken and the compensation she received during her suspension from office, beginning in January.
This is in light of Dicken’s guilty plea earlier this month on charges of theft, telecommunications fraud, and solicitation or acceptance of improper compensation.
Robers cited ORC Section 3.16, Section G, which states: “A political subdivision may file a civil action… to recover from any former public official of the political subdivision the amount of compensation paid… from the date of the former public official’s suspension to the date the former public official pleads guilty to” any felony they had been charged with.
Email at rmorris@logandaily.com
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