At a recent Fayette County Commissioners’ meeting, a resolution was signed that adds “Juneteenth” as a holiday in the county personnel policy manual—which will be recognized by the county on Sept. 3 of this year.
According to commissioner Dan Dean, the announcement of Juneteenth becoming a federal and state holiday came too last minute for most offices to close on June 19, the date of the holiday. By observing the holiday on Friday, Sept. 3 this year, county employees will be able to have a four-day weekend as Monday, Sept. 6 is Labor Day.
As of next year, June 19 will be observed as a legal county holiday.
As previously reported, the term Juneteenth is a blend of the words June and nineteenth. The holiday has also been called Juneteenth Independence Day or Freedom Day. The celebration started with the freed slaves of Galveston, Texas. Although the Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves in the South in 1863, it could not be enforced in many places until after the end of the Civil War in 1865.
Union Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger and his troops arrived at Galveston on June 19, 1865, with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. That was more than two months after Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant in Virginia.
In other news from the commissioners’ office, four contracts were entered into/approved.
The first contract entered into was with Axis Civil Construction LLC of Columbus for the Fayette County Bridge Rehabilitation Project at a cost of $782,706.50.
The second contract entered into was with Cox Paving for the 2021 Fayette County Township Paving Program at a cost of $418,536.
The third contract entered into was with MDJ Fencing to provide labor and materials to install a chain link fence enclosure at the Fayette County Adult Detention Facility. The estimated cost is $17,439.27.
The fourth contract was between the Fayette County Department of Job and Family Services and the Pickaway Area Recovery Services with the purpose of operating and maintaining the Fayette County Visitation Center and to provide support services and a safe and secure environment for the exchange and visitation of children. The contract was approved and the term is July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022. The max cost is $57,776.16 and is to be funded by TANF PRC and Title XX funds.
A bid from Cox Paving for the 2021 Fayette County Township Paving project was accepted. The bid was for $418,536.
A proposal presented by Ultimate Carpet Care was accepted. The proposal was to clean carpets in selected areas on the second, third and fourth floors of the County Administration Building for $1,123.96.
The signing of the Certificate of Substantial Completion of the Fayette County Adult Detention Facility was authorized. According to the commissioners’ minutes from the meeting, the work has been reviewed and found, to the architect’s best knowledge, information and belief, to be substantially complete.
Basically, and according to the minutes, substantial completion is gained during a project when the amount of work completed meets contract requirements—so the owner can occupy or use the area for its intended use.
An occupancy agreement was entered into. The Fayette County Department of Job and Family Services, Ohio Means Jobs entered into the Occupancy Agreement with the Board of Fayette County Commissioners for the use of office space at the Center for Economic Opportunity, 107 E. East Street. The term of the agreement is one year, beginning June 30 and ending July 1, 2022.
Per year, $3,280 must be paid for the space. This fee includes utilities, janitorial service, normal parking, the areas of common use (such as restrooms, etc.), and the work area designated.
Per the request of EMS Operations Manager Rodney List, an agreement was entered into with Dr. David Hill, M.D. to serve as the medical director of the Fayette County Emergency Medical Service in accordance with the Ohio Administrative Code.
The annual fee will be $6,000 and paid in 12 equal monthly installments of $500. The county will pay for CORSA errors and omissions insurance for Dr. Hill to provide services to the county EMS. The term of the agreement is one year beginning July 7 and terminating on July 6, 2022.
Stay with the Record-Herald weekly for more updates from the Fayette County Commissioners. The Fayette County Commissioners’ Office is located at 133 S. Main St., suite 401 in Washington Court House, and their office hours are Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. They can be reached at 740-335-0720. Condensed minutes from the meetings are available on the county website.
Reach journalist Jennifer Woods at 740-313-0355.
