At the January 3 organizational meeting, the Lucas County commissioners appointed Commissioner Pete Gerken to serve as board president in 2023.
“As we begin the new year, we look forward to building on our successes and accomplishments, finding solutions to tackle challenges, and fulfilling the commitments and promises of the past for capital improvement projects. This work must be done while continuing to deliver great public service to Lucas County residents,” Mr. Gerken said.
“Among the top priorities in 2023 will be to finalize plans and design for a new jail so that we can break ground on a new facility and provide humane housing for inmates awaiting trial,” he continued. “We will use American Rescue Plan Act dollars on initiatives and programs that will enhance opportunities for those impacted by the pandemic, including investments in affordable housing.
“Another commitment for capital improvements will become a reality this year when we begin construction on the new canine care and control building in downtown Toledo. Also, we will address the condition of 701-711 Adams Street and determine a solution for employees in that county-owned building. Now, more than ever, we must take steps on initiatives and create partnerships to enhance outcomes and opportunities for our workforce, including training that will be needed to work in the burgeoning electric vehicle and battery storage industries,” he added.
Mr. Gerken was elected to commissioner in 2005 and is currently serving his fifth term in office. A former Toledo city councilman, he previously was board president from 2009 to 2013 and 2016 to 2018.
Currently, he serves as chair on the water quality task force of the County Commissioners Association of Ohio. In addition, he is on the CCAO’s board of directors and the committees for metropolitan and regional affairs, general government and operations, jobs, economic development, and infrastructure and joint committee on administration of elections.
Locally, Mr. Gerken serves on boards for Pathway, Inc., Toledo Lucas County Homelessness and Toledo Opera Association.
Other Business
In other business, the commissioners: •Awarded a contract to Innovaliner Inc., of Monclova, for $188,995 for lining of the sanitary sewer at the recreation center.
•Amended a contract with Michels Pipe Services for an interceptor sanitary sewer at the Swan Creek siphon at a total cost of $5.18 million.
•Entered into an agreement with Speed Wrench, Inc., of Hudsonville, Michigan, for compactor maintenance at a cost of $10,000.
•Agreed to advertise for bids to do the east grit chamber rehabilitation at the Water Resource Recovery facility, 5788 North River Road, Waterville.
The county engineer’s office estimates the work will cost $578,000.
•Terminated an agreement for the county phone system with Frontier Communications and accepted a refund of $31,293.
The board also approved a master service agreement with Forerunner Technologies, Inc,. of Edgewood, New York, for technical support services of the phone system for $20,818.
•Entered into professional services agreement with the Toledo Symphony to provide music instruction at the youth treatment center for $17,451, and instruction of youth referred by juvenile court for $4,425.
•Assigned each commissioner seats on various county and local boards.
They are Mr. Gerken–Corrections Commission of Northwest Ohio, CCAO, 9-11 Regional Council of Governments administrators technical advisors committee, board of revision, convention and visitors bureau, land bank, plan commission, solid waste management policy committee, Pathway, Inc., homelessness board and Toledo Opera Association; Tina Skeldon Wozniak– Downtown Toledo Improvement District (DTID), common pleas drug court, criminal justice coordinating council, emergency planning committee, land bank, plan commission, records commission, work- force development board, cultural arts society and sustainability commission; Lisa Sobecki–community corrections planning board, DTID, district advisory council of the county health district, alternate for the 9-1-1 Regional Council of Governments administrators technical advisors committee, data processing board, family and children first council, integrated justice system, plan commission, MacArthur Foundation’s Safety + Justice Challenge and Toledo Zoological Society board of trustees.
•Approved appointments to the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments board of trustees and committees.
Mr. Gerken will serve on the board of trustees and also on the regional water planning committee.
Other appointments are County Engineer Mike Pniewski–board of trustees, transportation council and smart transportation and innovative mobility committee; Mike Stormer–transportation improvement program committee; Brian Zenta–freight advisory committee; Mike Melnyk– pedestrian and bikeways committee; Sarah Rowland– system performance and monitoring committee; Kyle Warner– transportation planning committee; Benjamin Pushka–water quality council; Jim Shaw–public water supply; Matt McFadden– stormwater coalition and watersheds, and Nate Inkrott–wastewater.
•Set regular meetings for 2023. The commissioners will meet on Tuesdays at 11 a.m. and on select Tuesday afternoons at 2 p.m.
•Agreed to reject and rebid requests for proposals for a courtroom recording and presentation system, because only one bid was received.
•Designated Commissioner Lisa Sobecki as the official alternative for voting at the annual meeting of the County Commissioners Association.
The next board meeting will be at 11 a.m., Tuesday, January 10, in the commissioners hearing room, first floor, One Government Center, Toledo, and is open to the public.
~Jane Maiolo
