Falcon Chicks!

This year the falcons incubated their eggs out of the camera's view, so there are no video clips and very few still photos of the incubation process and the chicks.  Bob Ford from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) checked in on the chicks on April 25th and snapped a few pictures of the chicks and the protective mother.  There were 5 eggs laid, 2 chicks hatched with a potential for a 3rd, and the 2 eggs pushed of to the side are not expected to produce any chicks.

The banding process for the chicks is scheduled for Thursday, May 16th at 10:30 AM in the Courthouse Complex Atrium, the public is welcome to come and watch as the ODNR staff provide a brief education on the falcons and the banding process.

Please click on the following link to go to the FalconCam page, then scroll down to the bottom to find the links to the photos taken by ODNR. 

FalconCam

Nominations Sought for Spirit of Wood County Awards

Bowling Green, Ohio - March 25, 2013 - Nominations are being accepted through April 30 for the annual Spirit of Wood County Awards. Commissioners James Carter, Doris Herringshaw, and Joel Kuhlman will present the awards on June 9 during Wood County Heritage Days at the Wood County Historical Center.

Wood County residents are invited to nominate current or former county residents for one of seven awards.  Agricultural Leadership; Industrial/Economic Development; Education for Civic Responsibility; Liberty Through Law/Human Freedom; Religion and Liberty; Self-Government; and the Lyle R. Fletcher Good Citizenship Award.

Nomination forms and category descriptions are available on the Wood County website by following the "Spirit of Wood County Awards" link.  A list of previous award recipients is also posted on the website.  Forms are also available in the 2013 Annual Report released this week.

For more information regarding the Spirit of Wood County Awards, please contact the Commissioners' Office at 419-354-9100,  1-866-860-4140, or commissioners@co.wood.oh.us.

County Receives Grants for Bridge Projects

Bowling Green, Ohio - February 6, 2013 - The Ohio Public Works Commission awarded funding to assist with two Wood County bridge replacement projects.  Commissioners James Carter, Doris Herringshaw, and Joel Kuhlman, received notice of the grant funding totaling $468,092 earlier this week.

Projects funded through these grants include Stearns Road at the intersection of Pursell Road in Perry Township and Pemberville Road over the Toussaint Creek in Troy Township.  The estimated costs for these projects total $964,674, with bidding expected later this year.

Construction for these projects will be coordinated through the Office of the Wood County Engineer, Raymond Huber.  Specific questions regarding these projects may be directed to Mr. Huber by calling 419/354-9060.

Commissioners Organize for 2013

Bowling Green, Ohio - January 30, 2013 - James F. Carter of Grand Rapids will serve as President of the Wood County Board of Commissioners for calendar year 2013. Newly appointed Commissioner Doris I. Herringshaw of Liberty Township will serve as Vice-President. 

The Board will continue conducting regular meetings on Tuesday and Thursday mornings with Open Forum on regular meeting days following regular business.  The Open Forum allows citizens to speak with the Board without scheduling a meeting time.  Town Hall meetings are also in the process of being scheduled throughout the County.  Times and locations will be announced as they are scheduled.

As President of the Board, Commissioner Carter will serve on a number of boards and commissions including the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments (TMACOG) Board of Trustees, Community Corrections Board, Investment Advisory Committee, Financial Report Review Committee, Family & Children's First Council, Records Commission, and Solid Waste Policy Committee.   Commissioner Carter also serves on the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee for the County Commissioners' Association of Ohio.

Commissioner Herringshaw will serve on the County's Automatic Data Processing Board, Investment Advisory Committee, and OSU Extension Service Advisory Committee.  Other committee assignments include the TMACOG Air Quality Committee and Portage River Basin Council.  She was also named as an alternate on the TMACOG Board of Trustees along with W. David Steiner, Planning Commission Director. Commissioner Herringshaw will also serve on a the Erie Basin Resource Conservation and Development Council.

Commissioner Joel M. Kuhlman of Bowling Green was selected to serve on the County's Board of Revisions, Courthouse Buildings & Grounds Committee, Court Security Advisory Committee, and Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC).  He will also serve on the TMACOG Freight Committee and Transportation Council. He will also serve as an alternate on the TMACOG Board of Trustees.

In addition, all three commissioners serve on the Debt Review Committee, Planning Commission, and Community Improvement Corporation.

All meeting agendas are posted 24 hours in advance and can be viewed on the commissioners' website at www.co.wood.oh.us/commissioners.   

Dog License Sales Schedule and Locations

Please note the following locations and associated hours for the sale and renewal of dog licenses for 2013.  For more information, please click on the following link to go to the Dog Shelter's "Dog Licensing" page:  http://dogtags.co.wood.oh.us/

January 8, 2013	Friendly Village	10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
January 15, 2013	Haskins Town Hall	9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
January 15, 2013	Pemberville Town Hall	12:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
January 16, 2013	North Baltimore Great Scot	9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
January 16, 2013	Troy Villa Club House	4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
January 22, 2013	Northwood Council Chambers	1:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
January 23, 2013	Rossford Council Chambers	9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
January 23, 2013	Perrysburg Police Division	1:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
January 25, 2013	Fostoria Municipal Building	12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Reception for Commissioner Tim Brown

The Wood County Commissioners are hosting a reception in honor of Commissioner Tim W. Brown's election to the Ohio House of Representatives.  The reception is on the 5th floor of the County Office Building on December 19th, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m with a gift presentation at 3:00 p.m.

Commissioners Appoint Director for the Wood County Historical Museum

October 23, 2012 -- Dana Nemeth has been selected by the Wood County Commissioners, James F. Carter, Tim W. Brown, and Joel M. Kuhlman, as the Director of the Wood County Historical Museum.

Ms. Nemeth is a familiar face around the Historical Center as she served as a volunteer, former collections manager, and former Wood County Historical Society Board member.

A Bowling Green native, Ms. Nemeth is a graduate of BGSU with a Master of Arts in Popular Culture and is currently working on receiving her Master of Library and Information Science with a specialization in Museum Studies from Kent State University.

She previously worked at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, New York; The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan; and the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. Most recently she served as a Library Associate at the Jerome Library's Center for Archival Collections.

Commissioners Appoint Executive Director for Economic Development

August 14, 2012 -- Wade Gottschalk of Bowling Green has been selected by the Wood County Commissioners, James F. Carter, Tim W. Brown, and Joel M. Kuhlman, to lead the Wood County Office of Economic Development as Executive Director.  

Gottschalk has served as Associate Director of this office since 2001 and was instrumental in shepherding many significant projects over that period of time, such as the CSX Intermodal Terminal in Henry Township, the new FedEx Ground facility and First Solar expansion projects Perrysburg Township, and Calphalon in Middleton Township. 

 

Gottschalk is a graduate of Bowling Green State University, with a bachelor's degree in Political Science and a Master of Public Administration degree. As Executive Director Mr. Gottschalk will work closely with the Wood County Economic Development Commission, with whom the County Commissioners contract for economic development services throughout Wood County.  He replaces Tom Blaha who retired in July.

Spirit of Wood County Award Winners Recognized on June 10

June 11, 2012 -- The Board of County Commissioners, Jim Carter, Tim Brown, and Joel Kuhlman, recently honored six area residents during the 2012 Spirit of Wood County Awards. The ceremony was held on June 10 at the Wood County Historical Center.

The 2012 award winners include Walbridge resident William Hirzel for Agricultural Leadership, Bowling Green residents Hugh Caumartin for Education for Civic Responsibility and Gary Spencer for Liberty Through Law/Human Freedom, former Northwood City Administrator Pat Bacon for Self-Government, and North Baltimore resident George Thompson for the Lyle R. Fletcher Good Citizenship Award.  A Spirit of Wood County Award was also presented to former Wood County Commissioner Alvin Perkins of Bowling Green.

Dangerous and Vicious Dog Law Changes Affect County Dog Owners

May 18, 2012 -- Revised dangerous and vicious dog laws in Ohio become effective on May 22, creating new requirements and standards for dog owners in Ohio.  The Wood County Dog Warden, Andrew Snyder, provides the following information to advise county residents of the changes.

Under this revised law if reasonable cause exists and a dog meets the applicable definition, the dog warden or law enforcement officer is required to designate a dog as a nuisance, dangerous, and/or vicious. All unprovoked dog bites will also result in the dog's automatic designation as a dangerous or vicious dog.   Read More

Courthouse Peregrine Falcons

The two Peregrine Falcon parents enjoyed the mild winter and never left the high perch of the Wood County Courthouse clock tower.  Last week, the female falcon started to lay her eggs and currently she is taking care of three eggs.  The following link will take you to a live feed of the falcon nest, Internet Explorer is required and you may be asked to confirm the installation of a small piece of software from ACTi.  This ACTi software is required in order for Internet Explorer to successfully display the video.  Please be patient when the page loads, depending on the number of viewers, it could take up to a minute.  http://www.co.wood.oh.us/falconcam.htm

Commissioners Release Annual Report On-line

March 22, 2012  -- Today, the Board of County Commissioners released the on-line version of the 2011 Wood County Annual Report, which highlights the accomplishments of various County offices during the year.  A printed version of the report will be mailed to households in the County. To request a printed copy please e-mail the Commissioners' Office or call 419.354.9100. 

State of the County Address

March 22, 2012 -- Wood County Commissioners, James Carter, Tim Brown, and Joel Kuhlman presented the annual State of the County Address in the Courthouse Complex Atrium.  The event was sponsored by the Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce Business Council.  The annual address provided an opportunity for the public to hear the Commissioners� perspectives on the important events that occurred in Wood County during 2011 and the goals for 2012.  Slide Show from Presentation

 

Wood County Introduces Prescription Discount Card
to Help Alleviate High Costs

March 1, 2012 � Wood County today launched a new program to help county residents deal with the high cost of prescription medications. Through a partnership with the National Association of Counties (NACo), the free Prescription Discount Card program provides area residents with a card that offers an average of 24 percent savings off the retail price of prescription medications.  -- MORE

 

JFS Implements New Call Center
1.855.ASK.DJFS

November 23, 2011 - Beginning December 1, the Wood County Job and Family Services will begin operation of a call center, under a new program known as Collabor8.   The call center, 1-855-ASK-DJFS (1-855-275-3537) will allow customers to interview for benefits by phone following submission of a completed application.

Calls will be answered Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Customer Service Representatives will be available to assist with public assistance changes, case status, and answer general questions about benefits.

Applications may be submitted online, http://ODJFSBenefits.ohio.gov, at the local office located at 1928 East Gypsy Lane Road in Bowling Green or other participating county Departments of Job and Family Services.

Knox County is also implementing this new system on December 1, with Hancock, Sandusky, Morrow, Delaware, and Marion counties joining in January 2012. 

Other inquires regarding the Department of Job and Family Services will still be directed to their local office at 419-352-7566.
 

Homeowner Assistance Available for Repair or Replacement of Failing Septic System

November 9, 2011 -- The Wood County Planning Commission is excited to announce FY10 CHIP grant funds are now available to assist two Wood County homeowners with costs associated with the repair or replacement of an existing, failing septic system.  Funds are specifically earmarked for the repair or replacement of failing on-site septic systems.  In order to qualify for funding, applicants must reside in a Wood County Township or Village, must own and live in the home, and must meet certain income requirements.  A total of two projects will be undertaken, and funds will be awarded on a first come, first served basis.  For more information or to request an application, please call toll-free, Poggemeyer Design Group CHIP Housing Assistance at 1-877-836-3206.

 

Wood County Auto Title Becomes Watercraft Agent

November 8, 2011 -- Cindy A. Hofner, Wood County Clerk of Courts, announced today that she has become a Watercraft Agent for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. She and the staff at the Wood County Title Office will be processing the watercraft registrations at the Wood County Title Office, located at 1616 E. Wooster St., Unit 16, in Bowling Green.

Cindy and her staff at the title office are taking on these additional responsibilities due to customer requests.   In researching the possibilities of this undertaking she found that the Bowling Green and southern Wood County areas were not being adequately served in this area. 

Whether you need to register your watercraft for the first time; renew the registration; or, transfer the time from a previous owner to yourself; the Wood County Title Office will be glad to assist you.

The hours of the Wood County Title Office are 8:30-4:30 P.M. Monday through Friday and 9:00 to Noon on Saturday.   The office can be reached at 419-354-9180.

 

Probate Court Establishes Volunteer Guardian Program

Judge David E. Woessner of the Wood County Probate Court is pleased to announce that a Probate Court Volunteer Guardian Program has been established.  This program is expected to benefit a wide range of individuals in need of assistance through guardianship proceedings in the Wood County Probate Court.

The Volunteer Guardian Program will allow trained volunteers to serve in the capacity of guardians of the person for individuals who have been declared incompetent or who are unable to take proper care of themselves.  The Volunteer Guardian Program will not deal with guardianships involving control or access to finances or other assets.  Training will be provided with the assistance of local professionals and the volunteers will be provided with a thorough overview of the guardianship process.  Local attorneys will assist in the completion of initial paperwork as necessary and assist with legal questions that might arise during the initial application process.  Ongoing guidance and assistance will be available to the volunteer guardians throughout their service.  The program will operate through the Wood County Probate Court and there are no additional operational costs required.

MORE

 

Commissioners Appoint Job and Family Services Administrator

September 29, 2011 -- David Wigent of Bryan has been selected by the Wood County Commissioners, James F. Carter, Tim W. Brown, and Alvin L. Perkins, to fill the Administrator vacancy at the Wood County Department of Job and Family Services effective October 10.  

Wigent has served as the Assistant Administrator at the Agency since June 2005. He replaces Paulette Stephens who is retiring at the end of October.

Earlier this year, Wigent received the President's Award from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Directors� Association for his leadership with a collaborative project among seven Ohio counties.  The purpose of this project is to improve customer service and improve efficiency through the use of technology and streamlined processes.

Prior to working at Wood County, he served as the assistant director of the Williams County Department of Aging.