Commissioners honor Fostoria fire chief with proclamation, receive update from mental health board

Tiffin, Ohio — The Seneca County Board of Commissioners recognized Fostoria Fire Chief Brian Herbert with a proclamation on Thursday, honoring him for his 30 years of public service in the county.

Herbert, who joined the fire department in 1991 and became the fire chief in 2018, was praised for his leadership and the positive changes he brought to the station.

In his retirement, Herbert plans to continue his role as a contractor instructor with the University of Findlay and spend time with his family. The proclamation extends the appreciation of the board and the whole county to Herbert for his many years of dedicated service.

The board also received an update from the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board of Seneca, Ottawa, Sandusky, and Wyandot Counties Executive Director, Mircea Handru. Handru discussed topics including the Mobile Crisis Response Team, which went live in Seneca County last July, and the Seneca County Recovery Task Force.

The Mobile Crisis Response Team works closely with law enforcement officers to manage mental health-related calls and supports public safety by providing a better handling of mental health-related incidents. The team operates from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and responds directly to emergency incidents almost daily.

The board also agreed to fund the purchase of three law enforcement vehicles for the Seneca County Sheriff’s Office, in response to a request from Sheriff Fred Stevens. The cost of the three vehicles, fully equipped for law enforcement purposes, is approximately $172,950.

In other business, the board approved a contractual agreement with SAFEBuilt Ohio, LLC, to perform building code services for commercial projects in the county. The county hopes that SAFEBuilt will provide faster and more efficient services on commercial projects.

Commissioner Bill Frankart expressed his happiness about SAFEBuilt coming to Seneca County.

The move to SAFEBuilt will cost the county $29,000 upfront for software costs and will provide the county with five percent of all fees collected by SAFEBuilt. The county must also provide office space for the company.

In new business, the commissioners approved:

• A $13,790.93 supplemental appropriation to the General Fund for Inmate Psychotropic Medication.
• An $8,000 supplemental appropriation to the General Fund for contract services.
• A $29,000 supplemental appropriation to the General Fund for professional services.
• A $47.01 supplemental appropriation to the Unclaimed Money Trust Fund.
• An $8,000 supplemental appropriation to the Concealed Handgun Licenses Fund for supplies.
• A $30,212.40 supplemental appropriation to the Seneca County Sewer District Replacement and Improvement Fund for improvements on several ditches.
• A $7,060 supplemental appropriation to the Bascom/New Riegel Bond Service Fund.
• An agreement with Huron County Board of Commissioners for the custody and care of Huron County Juveniles on behalf of the Seneca County Youth Center for 2023.
• A resolution for the appointment of special counsel for the Seneca County General Health District retroactive to Jan. 30.