Clermont County commissioners approve $2.87M in payments, grants, labor agreements and multiple contracts

The Clermont County Board of Commissioners on Feb. 18 approved a slate of routine financial, grant and contracting items, including a vendor-payment resolution, grant amendments, collective bargaining agreements and construction contract closures.

The board adopted a resolution identified in the meeting record as "O3ODash26" to approve payments to vendors totaling $2,874,357.08 and authorized the county auditor to issue warrants in compliance with section 319.16 of the Ohio Revised Code. The motion passed on roll call.

The board also approved amendment #1 to the Ohio Department of Youth Services juvenile court grant previously ratified on June 11, 2025. The amendment realigned funds for fiscal year 2026 and reduced the program cost by $116,685.96 to a revised total of $1,337,670.20.

Commissioners authorized submittal of a FY2027 community project funding application through Congressman Dave Taylor's office for the Clermont County Department of Public Safety Services to purchase microwave equipment; the presenter read the amount as $4,000,500 and stated no local match is required.

Two collective bargaining agreements with the Fraternal Order of Police Ohio Labor Council were approved: one covering Emergency Resource Technicians and the other covering Emergency Resource Supervisors, both effective Jan. 1, 2026 through Dec. 31, 2028, and both incorporating pay adjustments under Article 22.

The board accepted a contract completion and authorized release of retainage for the 2022 landslides project with W.E. Smith Construction (payment #6 for $28,679.07 plus accrued interest) and accepted completion on the Bradbury Transmission Main phase 2 with Ford Development Corporation (payment #7 for $109,481.68 plus interest). A change order for the White Oak Road water main replacement with Howell Contractors Inc. decreased the contract by $261,532.67 to a current total of $2,583,297.33 and included a noncompensable 61-day extension to July 21, 2025.

Commissioners voted to add an item to the agenda to submit an amendment to the Transportation Improvement Plan to include facility construction and operating expenses for the Clermont Transportation Connection (CTC) using Federal Transit Administration and state-allocated ODOT funds; the board approved the TIP submission but one commissioner abstained because of OKI membership.

All routine items were approved by roll call unless noted. The meeting then recessed to executive session and later returned with no decisions or actions taken.

What happens next: Approved contracts and CBAs proceed to implementation per their terms; grant applications will advance through the identified federal and regional channels; the board did not direct staff to alter the sheriff's ICE-related contract at this meeting.