Jul. 21—Guernsey County commissioners on Wednesday approved a $19,000 disbursement to the Cambridge Municipal Airport to help the facility overcome a $37,800 deficit in the 2021 operating budget.
Officials with the City of Cambridge also pledged during a recent meeting to seek a match of $19,000 to help the airport cover expenses including payroll and insurance for the remainder of the year.
"It's nice to collaborate with the city and split the cost to help the airport," Commissioner Jack Marlin said after the unanimous approval.
The county disbursement will be drawn from the Special Projects Fund.
Cambridge officials previously said approval by City Council would take approximately three weeks after the proposal is presented to council during an upcoming meeting.
Commissioners also attended the Guernsey County Emergency Management Agency monthly meeting at the County Administration Building.
Marlin said topics discussed included the recent Local Emergency Planning Committee meeting, a new storage building, vehicle maintenance and required training for Director Amy McCance and Deputy Director Rusty Roberts.
Projects McCance highlighted included fire, tornado and active shooter drills at county buildings and funding for emergency sirens to be located in the county.
Jeff Hannon of the Guernsey County Sheriff's Office reported the dispatcher center averages 5,000 calls per month and as many as 20,000 911 calls have been received during a single year in the county.
Marlin said Angie Peters of American Electric Power updated the group regarding recent power outages in the area. She will reportedly handle emergency calls on behalf of AEP.
Following the meeting, commissioners met with McCance to discuss flex time options. Marlin said no action was taken after the meeting.
In other business:
— Commissioners met with Jennifer Zaayer of the Guernsey County Prosecuting Attorney's Office in executive session regarding litigation. No action was taken following the meeting.
— Approved an amendment to an appropriations resolution to pay $565 to the Guernsey County Common Pleas Court Victim's Assistance Program.
— Commissioners signed the Targeted Community Alternative to Prison grant agreement with the State of Ohio for the Probation Department to receive $202,500 from the two-year grant. This is the fourth renewal of the grant first received in 2017, according to Chief Probation Officer Kevin Shipe. "We have an agreement to send money to the sheriff's office for the extra inmates this has created," said Shipe. The Eastern Ohio Corrections Center also receives funds from the local revenue and funds are used to supplement an electronically-monitored house arrest grant in the county.
Guernsey County commissioners meet each Monday and Wednesday in the County Administration Building at 627 Wheeling Ave. in downtown Cambridge.
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