Local residents gather at the "final meeting" of the Miami River Improvement Project.

The Joint Board of Commissioners held a brief meeting Thursday and unanimously voted to abolish the project.

A crowd of about twenty-five local residents applauded when the motion was read by Joint Chairman David Knight at the Logan County Engineer's Highway Garage. (Video interviews included.)

The board includes commissioners from Logan, Hardin, Champaign, Shelby, and Auglaize Counties.

Eleven of the fifteen commissioners attended. 

One commissioner from Shelby County was absent and all three commissioners from Auglaize County missed the meeting.

Logan County Commissioner John Bayliss called a special meeting May 6th, where he requested that our county opt out of the project.

The board voted 10-3 to rescind the August 29th, 2006 resolution which started the controversial project.

That original piece of legislation called for the removal of logjams along the Great Miami River and Muchinippi Creek.

The future of the project was in jeopardy without Logan County's support.

Landowners in Logan County were responsible for 82 percent of the money that was going to fund the project.

Local residents were upset that Logan County was still part of the project after a referendum issue was soundly defeated last November.

The project was going to be funded by a $25 per parcel assessment fee and an annual maintenance fee.

Commissioner Knight spoke about the project after today's meeting.

Watch him explain why the board voted to end the project.

Watch Knight discuss why the Joint Board was abolished.

Finally, Commissioners Knight and Bayliss were asked about the possibility of another project similar to the Miami River Improvement Project.

Watch Knight's response.

Watch Bayliss's answer. 

The treasurer and auditor in each county are responsible for getting refund checks to landowners that have already paid their assessment fee.

The Logan County Treasurer's office has collected over $57,000 the last two months.