Washington County commissioners approve appropriations, transfers, JFS authority and PILT distribution

The Washington County Board of Commissioners on Dec. 24 approved an omnibus package of routine fiscal and administrative actions, voting unanimously on motions that ranged from small line-item transfers to authorization of the Job & Family Services director to sign inter-county allocation adjustments through the end of 2026.

The board approved additional appropriations covering numerous county departments including the recorder, clerk of courts, engineer and building department; the largest single listed appropriation in the packet was $241,197.26 for the Engineer C-111 Bridge. Commissioners also approved two transfers: $1.04 within Dog & Kennel and $4,000 for Soil & Water.

Commissioners approved a letter of support for Buckeye Hills Regional Council’s application to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for a Brownfield Assessment Grant, noting Buckeye Hills’ multi-county service area and past success leveraging federal funds.

The board voted to allow Flite Freimann, Director of Washington County Department of Job & Family Services, to "approve and sign Inter-County Adjustment of Allocations on behalf of Washington County through the end of next year, December 31, 2026." Freimann described the action as delegating authority "to accept JFS money into the County." President Schilling praised Freimann for "getting TANF dollars into the County to support community programs."

The county auditor’s request to distribute $11,965.12 in Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) received for the Wayne National Forest (June–November 2025) was approved; the board applied the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) formula (77.47% to Frontier Local, 9.15% to the county and 13.38% split among townships). Schilling criticized the federally determined PILT amount as "about 10% of what it should be" and said the commissioners will continue to press the federal government for increases.

During public comment, visitor Mandie Morris urged the commissioners to keep Board of Developmental Disabilities funding in the county. The meeting concluded with an adjournment at 10:09 a.m.