The Logan County Mayors Association met for the first time in 2024 on Wednesday evening.
The round table included Sheriff Randy Dodds, Logan County Commissioner Mike Yoder, Logan County EMA’s Helen Norris, Ben Vollrath from the Logan County Chamber, and the Logan County Health Commissioner Travis Irvin.
Round table discussions included several topics amongst the mayors, ranging from applying for grants to increasing council meeting attendance to growth. DeGraff is working on a water loop project and a water treatment plant upgrade. Quincy has applied for grants to upgrade to the park that will include inclusive access. Bellefontaine is preparing for the upcoming tax levy for their parks. Belle Center paved a main street this fall and built a new utility building. Rushsylvania is working on being proactive, not reactive. Lakeview hopes to get more public interaction with the council and mayor. Russells Point continues to work on stormwater management and will be upgrading water meters soon. Each city/village gave an update on what is happening in their community. A common topic is preparations for the upcoming Eclipse in April. Several special events are planned and the area is bracing for increased visitors.
Norris reminded the group that Logan County is in the path of totality for the eclipse. The population locally is expected to double or triple in the days leading up the the event and the day or so after. Emergency plans are in place and backup communications are planned.
Vollrath talked about the different features that the Logan County Chamber of Commerce offers to the cities/villages, including the Logan County Tourism Bureau.
Irvin informed the group that a new Community Health Nurse has been hired and his office looks forward to being able to offer vaccine clinics, shortly.
Sheriff Dodds says his office will be rolling out a new app in the coming weeks that will be beneficial to the community. It will include a jail roster, important announcements, and much more. The jail recently passed an important state inspection with a 100% score, which is rare within the state, Sheriff Dodds commends his staff for their hard work. The Sheriff went on to say that he is hiring and having a tough time finding folks who are interested in the job. Communications and deputies are badly needed, as he is nearing the threshold of being short-staffed.
Commissioner Yoder said that the addition to Logan Acres is well underway and is expected to be completed in July. The Logan County Fairground recently got a sign upgrade on Main Street. The sign is partially supported by the commission and is expected to be a good revenue source for the fair. Logan County currently has a contract with Shelby County for stray dogs found in our county. The contract costs a large amount that the commission is looking to reinvest here instead. A facility will be built on the property at the Logan County Jail Complex to serve as a Humane Society. Details are not worked out yet, but the process has begun and discussions are underway. The county hopes to utilize inmates from the Logan County Jail to help operate the facility. The commission is also looking into several issues around the county that include emergency services.
The Logan County Mayors Association will meet again in April.
