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LISBON -- A new Columbiana County 911 Program Review Committee is being formed which will take the lead regarding 911 due to a new state law recently passed.
Commissioner Tim Weigle reported on the new board during the commissioners' recent meeting, explaining that commissioners are required to appoint two of the six members.
The commissioners agreed to name Weigle as the commissioners' representative and Sheriff Brian McLaughlin as the elected official in the county to serve on the board.
The breakdown for the other four board positions includes: the chief executive officer of the most populous city, which would be the Salem mayor; a trustee from the most populous township in the county, which he said is likely St. Clair Township; a trustee selected by the majority of trustees; and a mayor selected by the majority of mayors in the county.
Columbiana County Emergency Management Agency Director Peggy Clark said the law just came out and they still need to determine what this means for the current 911 committee's status and how those first responders will continue to serve.
"We're waiting on a legal opinion," she said.
The current committee is made up of dispatchers, police chiefs, fire chiefs and EMS personnel, along with EMA personnel. The committee is scheduled to meet at 1 p.m. Nov. 2 at the EMA in Lisbon.
In other business, the commissioners approved the county Local Emergency Planning Committee promulgation, or annual updating of the plan and adopted a resolution for the Rural Industrial Park Program Application for Economic Development Benefit.
The commissioners followed the recommendations of county Department of Job and Family Services Director Rachel Ketterman for changes to the Prevention, Retention, Contingency Plan. They also approved a $10,000 spending ceiling increase for the senior services levy contract for Small Town USA to provide homemaker/chore/home health aide services, making the new ceiling $50,000 for the period from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31. A resolution for the DJFS to be under a state contract for services from Cintas was also approved, with Ketterman explaining it's costing them less through the state contract.
The commissioners will meet again at 9 a.m. Oct. 18 in the downtown courthouse.