Guns now permitted in county buildings
Commissioners pass rules lifting restrictions on gun permit holders
Coroner Lisa Deranek reports the number of unexpected deaths being investigated by her office is on the rise. Photo by GLENN WOJCIAK
MEDINA – Licensed permit holders can now carry a concealed handgun into some county government buildings.
County commissioners voted unanimously April 24 to allow concealed guns in county buildings. The resolution conforms to new state law which went into effect March 21 that prohibits concealed handguns in government buildings unless the governing body with authority over the building has enacted a policy that allows the guns in those buildings.
The new policy allows employees and others with a valid license to carry a handgun to carry it in most county buildings. The exceptions are the Medina County Courthouse, Sheriff’s Office, Juvenile Detention Center, Prosecutor’s Office, Domestic Relations Court Visitation Center and Job and Family Services Building.
Coroner report
New County Coroner Dr. Lisa Deranek reported to county commissioners that her office investigated 44 cases in the January, February and March. That’s 18 more cases than the office investigated during the same three months in 2016.
Despite the increased number of cases, Deranek also reported she was able to reduce the cost of contract services for such things as autopsies, transportation of bodies by funeral homes and toxicology reports.
Transit report
Transit Director Mike Salamone reports that Medina County Public Transit carried 3,062 riders on its fixed bus routes in February and 2,545 passengers on its on-demand service in which clients call to schedule a ride.
Salamone said ridership numbers reflect route changes made in February to reflect reductions in operating expenses. Those changes included elimination of Saturday service and one of two weekday routes in Wadsworth as well as a reduction of service hours in Medina.
Church celebration
Commissioners passed a resolution commending St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Medina on the occasion of its bicentennial celebration. The oldest church in Medina County, St. Paul’s held its first service on March 11, 1817 in a log cabin in Weymouth.
CHIP Grant
County commissioners authorized a partnership agreement with the City of Wadsworth which could provide state grants and interest-free loans to homeowners making repairs to their properties.
The agreement calls for the county and Wadsworth to make a joint application for a 2017 Community Housing Impact and Preservation grant from the Ohio Development Services Agency.
The county and city are joining forces to administer the CHIP grants under a state initiative encouraging municipalities to collaborate and saving the state government the hassle of having to deal with individual grants from each city.
Commended
Commissioners commended Sylvia McRae for her 23 years of dedicated service to the county. She worked as an enforcement supervisor and support officer at Job and Family Services until her retirement May 1.
Commissioners also commended David Bilinovich for his dedication and service to the veterans community of Medina County and Ohio. He is the current State of Ohio Commander of the Disabled American Veterans.
Personnel expenses
Commissioners authorized the expenses for several county employees to attend a series of out-of-town meetings and training seminars. Among those expenses were $475 for Deranek to attend a conference in Columbus, $825 for a member of the transit department to attend a two-day training program in Chicago and $500 for Judge Chris Collier to attend a three-day conference in Cleveland.
CRA
Commissioners approved a Community Reinvestment Area Agreement and Community Reinvestment Compensation Agreement with Montville Investors LLC. The agreement calls for real estate taxes to be partially abated on a commercial development planned near the intersection of Interstate 71 and state Route 18. The first tenants of the retail development are expected to be a GetGo gas station and convenience store, a Starbucks coffee shop and a Chipotle restaurant.
County commissioners voted unanimously April 24 to allow concealed guns in county buildings. The resolution conforms to new state law which went into effect March 21 that prohibits concealed handguns in government buildings unless the governing body with authority over the building has enacted a policy that allows the guns in those buildings.
The new policy allows employees and others with a valid license to carry a handgun to carry it in most county buildings. The exceptions are the Medina County Courthouse, Sheriff’s Office, Juvenile Detention Center, Prosecutor’s Office, Domestic Relations Court Visitation Center and Job and Family Services Building.
Coroner report
New County Coroner Dr. Lisa Deranek reported to county commissioners that her office investigated 44 cases in the January, February and March. That’s 18 more cases than the office investigated during the same three months in 2016.
Despite the increased number of cases, Deranek also reported she was able to reduce the cost of contract services for such things as autopsies, transportation of bodies by funeral homes and toxicology reports.
Transit report
Transit Director Mike Salamone reports that Medina County Public Transit carried 3,062 riders on its fixed bus routes in February and 2,545 passengers on its on-demand service in which clients call to schedule a ride.
Salamone said ridership numbers reflect route changes made in February to reflect reductions in operating expenses. Those changes included elimination of Saturday service and one of two weekday routes in Wadsworth as well as a reduction of service hours in Medina.
Church celebration
Commissioners passed a resolution commending St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Medina on the occasion of its bicentennial celebration. The oldest church in Medina County, St. Paul’s held its first service on March 11, 1817 in a log cabin in Weymouth.
CHIP Grant
County commissioners authorized a partnership agreement with the City of Wadsworth which could provide state grants and interest-free loans to homeowners making repairs to their properties.
The agreement calls for the county and Wadsworth to make a joint application for a 2017 Community Housing Impact and Preservation grant from the Ohio Development Services Agency.
The county and city are joining forces to administer the CHIP grants under a state initiative encouraging municipalities to collaborate and saving the state government the hassle of having to deal with individual grants from each city.
Commended
Commissioners commended Sylvia McRae for her 23 years of dedicated service to the county. She worked as an enforcement supervisor and support officer at Job and Family Services until her retirement May 1.
Commissioners also commended David Bilinovich for his dedication and service to the veterans community of Medina County and Ohio. He is the current State of Ohio Commander of the Disabled American Veterans.
Personnel expenses
Commissioners authorized the expenses for several county employees to attend a series of out-of-town meetings and training seminars. Among those expenses were $475 for Deranek to attend a conference in Columbus, $825 for a member of the transit department to attend a two-day training program in Chicago and $500 for Judge Chris Collier to attend a three-day conference in Cleveland.
CRA
Commissioners approved a Community Reinvestment Area Agreement and Community Reinvestment Compensation Agreement with Montville Investors LLC. The agreement calls for real estate taxes to be partially abated on a commercial development planned near the intersection of Interstate 71 and state Route 18. The first tenants of the retail development are expected to be a GetGo gas station and convenience store, a Starbucks coffee shop and a Chipotle restaurant.