Logan County Board Workshop meeting
J. Lance Conahan nominated for board position
Tuesday voting session moved to Thursday, November 21st

 

[November 18, 2024] 

On Thursday, November 14th, the Logan County Board met for their monthly Workshop meeting to discuss matters that will be brought up at the Regular board meeting. This meeting started at 6 p.m. and was held in the first-floor courtroom of the Logan County Courthouse. Nine of the eleven members of the board were in attendance. Those present were Chairman Michael DeRoss, Vice Chairman Dale Nelson, JR Glenn, Julie Bobell, Jim Wessbecher, Kathy Schmidt, Gil Turner, Joseph Kuhlman, and Keenan Leesman. Absent were Hannah Fitzpatrick and Bob Sanders.

The meeting began with the board immediately going into executive session. All guests were asked to leave the room for a few minutes. The resignation of board member Emily Davenport had been discussed in executive session during the November 12th Executive and Personnel Committee and could have been the topic of the session on November 14th. Davenport, who was the representative of District 6, moved out of that district. It was because of this that Davenport was forced to resign her position, as you must live within the district you represent.

When the executive session ended, the board moved to action items from each of their five committees, voting on whether to move them to the regular (voting session) meeting next week. Nelson, who was leading the workshop, asked Wessbecher, Chairman of the Building and Grounds Committee if he had anything to bring forth, which he did not.

Nelson then asked Leesman, the Vice Chairman of the Finance Committee, if he had anything to bring forth. Leesman had several items, all of which were passed. These included the two tax reductions the board is considering, the budget with some minor changes, and a $3,333 donation to the Logan County Jail. This latter item is for a life skills instructor to come and talk to the inmates. This amount will be donated from the Community Benefits Fund.

Nelson then called on Wessbecher, the Chairman of the Transportation Committee, for anything he had to bring forth. Wessbecher had two items on behalf of his committee. Like the Finance Committee, both items were passed on to the Regular Board meeting. These two items were the approval of a 2025 County Highway tax for maintenance and the replacement of a bridge on 1500th Street near Chester East Lincoln School.

The Executive and Personnel Committee was next, with Nelson calling on the Vice Chairman of that committee, Leesman. There were several items that were voted on, and again, all were sent to the Regular Board meeting. The first of these was a 2025 Dynamic Lifecycle Innovations Recycling Contract. The second was the appointment of several individuals to different positions within Logan County. These individuals are Jane Whiteman to Logan County Animal Control Warden, Ashley Allen to Logan County Animal Control Assistant Warden, and Bill Sahs and Roger Bock to the Logan County Board of Health. The last item was a raffle by the Logan Railsplitter Association.

The final committee to be called on was the Zoning and Economic Development Committee. While Leesman, the Chairman of this committee, did not have any items that required voting, he did give an update on a new solar project that may be established in the county. This was the Sugar Creek solar project that was proposed by Liberty at the Zoning and Economic Development Committee meeting earlier in the week. Leesman informed the board that Liberty is expecting to submit their initial application in December, so the board will likely be voting on that starting at the beginning of 2025.

After all of the voting was over, board Chairman DeRoss gave his Chairman's Report. He informed the board that both the Logan County Market and Touch-a-Truck had sent thank you letters for the board’s support in their events this year. DeRoss also let the board know that he was officially nominating a new candidate to the board to fill the empty position left by Davenport. DeRoss’s nominee is J Lance Conahan. The board discussed this for several minutes. During that discussion, it was stated that the vacant position must be filled within 60 days of the vacancy and the nominee must be of the same political party as the previous member.

It was asked how political affiliation is determined, and DeRoss told them through primary election votes. Nelson, who nominated someone else, asked why that person was not nominated. DeRoss stated that, while he did some research, he could not officially determine Nelson’s nominee’s political affiliation within the time frame that the law requires.

Conahan was then given the floor to speak for a few moments. He informed the board that he was born and raised in Logan County. He also reminded the board that he has attended some meetings previously. Conahan had also spoken with former Chairman Davenport about filling a vacancy if one would have become available. Conahan stated that he is “interested in getting on the board and helping out the community.” Conahan’s appointment will be voted on at November’s Regular board meeting.

Just before the meeting ended, the board decided to move the Regular Board meeting from next Tuesday to next Thursday. The meeting will now take place at the Logan County Courthouse on Thursday, November 21st at 6 p.m.

[Matt Boutcher]