Commissioners welcome new Downtown Tiffin Main Street Manager

Tiffin, Ohio — The Seneca County Board of Commissioners held a board session Thursday morning, where they met with the newly appointed Downtown Tiffin Main Street Manager, Donna Gross.

Gross is the second manager in the history of Downtown Tiffin, replacing Amy Reinhart. She is a successful entrepreneur, and the owner of Relevé Barre Studio, a small business with locations in Downtown Tiffin and Birmingham, Michigan. In addition, she serves on numerous downtown boards and committees and is a graduate of Heidelberg University.

Commissioner Tyler Shuff was part of the hiring committee that selected Gross from a field of 17 candidates. The commissioners expressed their support for Tiffin-Seneca Economic Partnership (TSEP), Fostoria Economic Development Corp. and the Downtown Tiffin organization.

In other business, Rachel Ruffer, Regional Liasion for the Ohio Secretary of State’s office, addressed the board, providing a legislative update and thanking the Seneca County Board of Elections for their work.

“(They) do a tremendous job and I wanted to publicly thank them,” Ruffer said.

Also during the meeting, Commissioner Bill Frankart prayed for the families of former Seneca County Commissioner Tim Berlekamp and Seneca Conservation District Team Leader Beth Diesch, who passed away recently.

“We pray and send our goodwill to their families,” Frankart said.

Finally, Commissioner Tyler Shuff expressed his excitement about moving forward with SafeBUILT, a company that will take on commercial permitting and inspections in the county, streamlining the process and making it more efficient for local businesses. County Administrator Jaime Wolfe confirmed that work is underway to have SafeBUILT take on all commercial permitting and inspections in the near future.

In new business, the commissioners approved:

• A $19,000 supplemental appropriation to the Targeted Community Alternatives to Prison Grant Fund for contract services.
• A $1,200 supplemental appropriation to the General Special Projects Fund for contract services.
• An $80,000 supplemental appropriation to the County Capital Projects Fund for equipment.
• A $179,630 supplemental appropriation to the General Fund in the Transfer Out Line.
• A $15,000 supplemental appropriation to the Ambulance Service Fund for equipment.
• A $67,559.83 supplemental appropriation to the General Fund for the Justice Center and a fund transfer in the same amount from the General Fund to the Justice Center Capital Improvement Fund.
• A $1,000,000 supplemental appropriation to the General Fund in the Transfer Out Line and a fund transfer in the same amount from the General Fund to the Capital Improvement Fund.
• Fund transfers of $160,000, $10,000 and $179,630 from the General Fund, Soil and Water Local Government Fund and the General Fund, respectively, to various Soil and Water funds.
• A $66,186.50 fund transfer from the Public Assistance Fund to the County Share-other Fund.
• Amending a resolution authorizing Oriana House to enter into a contract with JB Roofing.
• The appointment of special counsel for the commissioners.
• Establishing the Seneca County Building Department.
• Requesting certification to enforce state building codes within the county.
• A memorandum of understanding between the County Child Support Enforcement Agency and Seneca County Department of Job and Family Services.
• Authorizing the non-federal reimbursable agreement between the Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration and the commissioners.