Register today for the CCAO Workforce, Families and Children Symposium!
August 25-26, 2022
Cherry Valley Hotel, Newark, Ohio
Click here to register
This symposium will focus on showcasing innovative ways counties, state and other partners are working to keep Ohio a place where people thrive. This includes bolstering and training our workforce, protecting our youngest Ohioans, caring for our older Ohioans, and so much more. Attendees will leave with tangible examples to take back to their counties. We hope you’ll join us for this great learning opportunity!
Speakers include:
- JP Nauseef, President and CEO, JobsOhio
- Steve Stivers, President & CEO, Ohio Chamber of Commerce
- Director Matt Damschroder, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services
- Director Amy Ast, Ohio Department of Youth Services
- and more!
Click here for the Symposium Agenda
Click here to register
Registration Fee $50
Reduced room rate of $96 plus tax available through July 25th at the Cherry Valley Hotel, 2299 Cherry Valley Rd SE, Newark, OH, 43055. Call 740-788-1200 and reference CCAO to reserve your room now!
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Meigs County appoints Zachary Manuel to fill vacant Commissioner seat
Zachary Manuel has been appointed by The Meigs County Republican Central Committee to fill the vacant Meigs County Commissioners seat. The vacancy occurred when Commissioner Tim Ihle was appointed to fill the Meigs County Treasurer's seat after Peggy Yost's passing.
Manuel's appointment happened quickly and unanimously as he was the Republican party's nominee running for the seat. One other individual had submitted a letter of interest but withdrew it when they realized they would not be on the November 8 ballot, since Manuel had already won the primary to be the nominee.
During the committee meeting, Manuel expressed that he is a lifelong Meigs county resident and said, "the future of Meigs County is something I hold dear," according to the Meigs Independent Press.
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Traffic enforcement cameras reports must be submitted by July 31
As a reminder, any county that operated or contracted with another party to operate traffic enforcement cameras during the previous fiscal year must file a report with the Department of Taxation by July 31, 2022. Failure to do so may result in a county forfeiting its funding from the Local Government Fund. This is governed by ORC Section 5747.502.
A blank version of the report can be found here.
Please contact the Ohio Department of Taxation, Revenue Accounting Division at RevenueAccounting@tax.state.oh.us or call (614) 466-7150 with any questions regarding how to file the report.
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Registration open for OMHAS 2022 Director's Summit
The 2022 Ohio MHAS Director's Summit: Building a Helpful, Hopeful Ohio; Navigating the Future Together will be held on Tuesday, August 30th at the Hilton Columbus Polaris location.
Sessions include:
- Supporting and Growing a Strong Behavioral Health Workforce
- Introducing the Community Planning Process
- Suffering Healers; Combating Compassion Fatigue
- Promoting Youth Mental Health and Resiliency
- Peer Support Modernization and Expansion
- Youth Prevention and Treatment Highlights
- Enhancing Ohio’s Ideal Crisis System
For more information and to register for the summit, click here.
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Applications due for US EPA Brownfields Job Training Program
Brownfields Job Training (JT) Grants allow nonprofits, local governments, and other organizations to recruit, train, and place unemployed and under-employed residents of areas affected by the presence of brownfield sites. Through the JT Program, graduates develop the skills needed to secure full-time, sustainable employment in various aspects of hazardous and solid waste management and within the larger environmental field, including sustainable cleanup and reuse, and chemical safety. These green jobs reduce environmental contamination and build more sustainable futures for communities. Applications are due August 2, 2022.
For more information, visit the US EPA website.
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2022 Ohio Public Safety Symposium Agenda Released
Ohio Homeland Security will be hosting a Public Safety Symposium August 2-4, 2022, at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. This conference runs concurrently with the 2022 Ohio School Safety Summit hosted by the Ohio School Safety Center and the State Fair.
OHS is still inviting its partners, service providers, community supports, and vendors to join us in the exhibit hall with a booth to market your organization’s services or products. The exhibit hall is shared with the Ohio School Safety Summit. Click here for more information and lock in your spot now.
Ohio Homeland Security (OHS) is excited to release this year's symposium agenda. The schedule is packed with experts in subjects such as cyber safety, critical infrastructure threat mitigation, mental health, grant funding, drug recognition, and so much more.
This event is free and open to the public, but requires pre-registration to ensure adequate space is available. Click here to register.
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New details on JFS caseworker recruitment and retention grants released
The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) recently released details to Public Children Services Association directors about the $15 million grant program to help public children services agencies recruit and retain frontline caseworkers and supervisors.
The program will be administered through the Public Children Services Association of Ohio (PCSAO), which will host a webinar to provide an overview regarding the application process. A copy of the application will be provided in conjunction with the webinar.
ODJFS sent a letter to county commissioners and executives regarding the grant, which is available here. The letter encourages county leaders to keep an open mind about new ideas to address workforce issues as the grant money is implemented.
ODJFS also sent a letter to children services directors, available here, that outlines 11 permissible usages of the funds. Additionally, it states that agencies must participate in at least one of three statewide workforce initiatives as a condition to receive funding: exit surveys for children services staff upon leaving employment, utilizing AVEnueS Virtual Reality headsets as a pre-hire activity, or utilizing caseworker and supervisor onboarding curriculum developed by the Office of Families and Children. More details about these three initiatives are available in the letter.
ODJFS also released a table providing the allocation under the program available to each of the 85 public children services agencies in the state. The allocation was calculated using the same methodology as the State Children Protective Allocation.
Any questions concerning the program and the webinar/application should be directed to either workforce@pcsao.org or ODJFS Program Administrator Vince Ciola at vincent.ciola@jfs.ohio.gov. |
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Court backlog reduction grants application window open
The Office of Criminal Justice Services, a division of the Department of Public Safety, is accepting applications for the Ohio Court Backlog Reduction Program. The program is intended to help courts reduce the time-to-disposition of cases, remove barriers to timely case resolutions, and devise creative solutions to improve case flow.
A total of $10 million is available to municipal or county courts; common pleas, domestic relations, general, juvenile, or probate courts; and appellate courts. Projects can be backdated to April 1, 2022.
The application deadline is July 29. More information about the program can be found here.
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State Personnel Board of Review conference registration open
The State Personnel Board of Review (SPBR) Conference will take place August 24th, 2022 at the Marriott in Dublin, Ohio.
The SPBR Conference is for:
- Managers, HR, and other professionals who manage or interact with employees who have the right to appeal to the SPBR Board or pertinent municipal civil service commission
- Those having collective bargaining agreements that allow for an appeal to the SPBR Board or pertinent municipal civil service commission
- Those seeking to catch-up and refresh after the past two-plus-years of COVID impacts and changes affecting HR, etc.
- New or current managers, union officials, attorneys, staff, elected officeholders, human resource professionals
- Those who are or will be working in positions where they need to know how Ohio’s laws and court decisions govern public employment issues
Click here to register.
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OSU Extension Program: Solar & Traditional Energy Updates for Local Government
September 12: Solar
September 26: Traditional Energy (Oil & Gas)
10:00-11:30 a.m. (Zoom links provided upon registration)
Register here.
As a local government leader, learn more about what your responsibilities are and what you can or cannot do related to energy topics and projects. Join speakers from Ohio State University Extension, Ohio Farm Bureau and The Ohio Department of Natural Resources to learn more about current Solar & Traditional Energy topics, legislation and trends.
Questions-Email: Dan Lima: lima.19@osu.eduor or Gwynn Stewart: stewart.1818@osu.edu
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Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program (JAG) accepting applications
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) are now accepting applications for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program (JAG).The program promotes the DOJ's mission to reduce or prevent crime and violence and improve the criminal justice system's administration.
The Edward Byrne Memorial JAG Program is the primary provider of federal criminal justice funding to states and units of local government. The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) will award JAG Program funds to eligible units of local government as described in this solicitation. This grant application incorporates the Office of Justice Programs Grant Application Resource guide, which can be accessed here.
For more information and to apply, visit the BJA's website here.
Grants.gov Deadline: August 03, 2022
Application JustGrants Deadline: August 08, 2022
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This section of Counties Current will be a permanent fixture for the foreseeable future to help counties with the ins and outs of the American Rescue Plan Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. These two laws provide a once-in-a-generation investment.
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First Bridge Investment Program deadline approaching
The US DOT Bridge Investment Program is open for applications. Counties are eligible to apply for BIP funding directly through USDOT, as well as to bundle bridge projects into one application. Twenty million is reserved for the planning application category outlined below. In total, the NOFO is soliciting applications for three different funding categories:
- Planning: For projects requiring technical assistance to become eligible for BIP capital construction funds | Applications due July 25, 2022
- Large bridge projects: For projects with eligible costs over $100 million | Applications due August 9, 2022
- Bridge projects: For projects with eligible costs less than $100 million | Applications due September 8, 2022
More information is available on the NACo website.
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Treasury releases updated ARPA reporting guidance; NACo provides overview
The U.S. Department of the Treasury recently released updated reporting guidance for Project and Expenditure Reports and a template for the Recovery Plan Performance Report. Both have been released ahead of the next reporting deadline, July 31. This reporting deadline only applies to counties with a population over 250,000 or that have received a total distribution of more than $10 million.
NACo provided a summary of key updates to the reporting guidelines. These requirements will impact all counties regardless of population size and award amount.
- Additional programmatic data for capital expenditures: When using Recovery Funds for capital expenditures projects, counties need to report the type of expenditure based on a list of enumerated uses. Examples of enumerated uses are COVID-19 vaccination sites, job and workforce training centers, and public health data systems. A full list of enumerated uses is available on pages 27 to 28 of the updated guidance.
- Written justification for capital expenditures: Counties are required to provide a written justification for capital projects of any category that cost at least $10 million and for projects in the “other” (i.e., project not explicitly enumerated by Treasury) category that cost at least $1 million. Previously, counties needed to create a written justification for these projects but were not required to submit them as part of regular reporting.
- Description of labor requirements for capital expenditures: Counties are required to provide additional labor reporting. For projects that cost at least $10 million, counties will need to report on the strength of the project’s labor standards, including information on the presence of a project labor agreement, community benefits agreement, prevailing wage requirement, or local hiring. This new required information is outlined under Infrastructure Project on pages 30-31 of the updated guidance.
- Project information for broadband projects: The updated guidance requires counties to provide detailed project information for broadband infrastructure investments. Counties need to report what kind of technology is involved in the project (i.e., fiber optic cables, coaxial cables, etc.), the total miles of fiber deployed over the project, and the total number of funded locations served broken out by both speed of connection and type of location (i.e., residential, business, or community). This new required information is outlined under Broadband Projects on pages 32-33 of the updated guidance.
- Moving of Recovery Plan Performance Report data into P&E Report: Under the updated guidance, some of the data that was previously only required for the Recovery Plan Performance Report (Recovery Plan) is now required for large counties (populations above 250,000 and/or above $10 million in awards) on their quarterly P&E Report. For example, large counties investing in housing security programs must now report the number of households receiving eviction prevention services. A full list of changes to programmatic data requirements for large counties is available on page 33 of the compliance and reporting guidance.
- Updated template for Recovery Plan: The updated guidance also provides a template for the Recovery Plan due for large counties on July 31, 2022, reflecting the expenditure categories and other changes made by the Final Rule.
If you have any questions, please contact Eryn Hurley, Director of Government Affairs for NACo, at ehurley@naco.org.
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Guidance and overview of available BIL funding available from NACo and the Ohio Department of Transportation
NACo and ODOT each host a resource page providing information to counties about the Bipartican Infrastructure Law. The pages are rich with information including multiple tables providing overviews and links to funding opportunities, a timeline of upcoming grant programs, and much more.
The NACo website can be found here and the ODOT website can be found here.
CCAO strongly encourages counties to frequently visit the sites and apply for funding through the myriad of programs to bring valuable federal funds to Ohio communities.
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NACo provides overview of U.S. Treasury's allocation of second ARPA Recovery Funds tranche
On May 26, NACo provided statewide associations an update that the U.S. Treasury has begun the process of allocating funds from the second tranche of the ARPA Recovery Fund.
Key highlights to the second tranche payment process include:
- All counties must have an active SAM.gov registration in order to receive their second tranche of funding
- Effective April 4, 2022, the federal government switched service providers and stopped using the DUNS number and began using the Unique Entity ID (UEI) – All counties are required to switch from a DUNS number to a UEI
- If a county’s SAM.gov registration expired (12-month coverage) before it is due to receive its second tranche payment (and after April 4, 2022) the county is required to re-active its SAM.gov registration, which will require them to adopt a UEI (instead of a DUNS number) PRIOR TO receiving their second tranche
Process for Counties to Receive Second Tranche ARPA Recovery Fund Payment
- Section 603 of ARPA provides payments to eligible local governments in two tranches, with the second tranche payment being made no earlier than 12 months after the first payment
- Consistent with this requirement, Treasury expects to provide second tranche payments to local governments approximately 12 months after their first payment
- In the coming weeks, Treasury will open the submission portal in a phased approach, allowing counties to access the portal for 30 days prior to their second tranche payment date
- Counties will receive a notification from Treasury by email letting them know that they can enter the portal – it is very important to make sure that the assigned point of contact is still available to receive future communications
- The point of contact is the individual designated in the portal during the first tranche submission who will receive email notifications on submission status, including any issues found during the verification and communication regarding payments
- The individual entering the portal for the second tranche submission will be the same individual with the registered ID.me who submitted for the first tranche allocation
- If that individual is no longer with the county and you need to designate a new individual, email COVIDReliefITSupport@treasury.gov with the subject line “Entity Name – Update to Designated Individuals” and include the role that needs to be updated along with the full name, title, email and phone number of the new person designated
- After the email is received by the county, the point of contact will be able to update their entity information to include banking information in the portal
- In preparation for the second tranche payment, counties should ensure their SAM.gov entity registration is still active – all counties are required to have a SAM.gov registration to receive their second tranche payment
- Note that on April 4, 2022, the federal government changed service providers and stopped using the DUNS Number and began using the Unique Entity ID (UEI) in SAM.gov to identify entities
- All counties, even those already registered in SAM.gov, must validate their entity information through the new service provider
- Counties may need to provide additional supporting documentation through the new system
- The General Services Administration (GSA) released FAQs to support counties through this new process
- Counties are required to renew their SAM.gov registration every 12-months. If a county’s SAM.gov registration expired (12-month coverage) before it is due to receive its second tranche (and after April 4, 2022) the county is required to re-active their SAM.gov registration, which will require them to adopt a UEI (instead of a DUNS number) PRIOR TO receiving their second tranche
If you have any questions, please contact Eryn Hurley, Director of Government Affairs for NACo, at ehurley@naco.org.
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JobsOhio's American Rescue Plan Guidebook is available
JobsOhio’s revised ARPA Guidebook is available for download at the following address:
https://www.jobsohio.com/american-rescue-plan-guidebook/
The Guidebook is a resource for local leaders looking to maximize the impact of ARP funds and become better informed about ARP funds and potential investments. The Guidebook is a result of conversations with local, regional, and state leaders to learn their plans for ARP funds, share best practices, and support leaders in maximizing the potential economic impact of ARP funds.
Ohio leaders identified three priority investment areas that are broadly aligned to Treasury Recovery Fund objectives:
- Build a more resilient workforce by investing in talent hard-hit by the pandemic (e.g., support for training for high-demand skills for individuals in qualified populations and those disproportionately impacted by the pandemic)
- Upgrade critical infrastructure to revitalize communities and support Ohio’s economy (e.g., expanding digital infrastructure coverage)
- Support the small businesses and industries most negatively impacted by the pandemic (e.g., scale access to grants/loans for SMBs)
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Resources for ARPA Reporting and Compliance
Counties and other local governments are required to submit their ARPA financial reports to the US Treasury. The next deadline is July 31 (for large counties only). The following resources are available to help CCAO members to navigate reporting requirements:
US TREASURY WEBINAR ON REPORTING GUIDELINES FOR THE STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS
National Association of Counties and US Treasury
Webinar recorded April 21, 2022
Join NACo for a review of the Treasury Department’s webinar on reporting guidelines and compliance requirements for the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund program. To view the slides and recording of the webinar, click here.
ARPA FISCAL RECOVERY FUND: OVERVIEW OF REPORTING REQUIREMENTS AND UNIFORM GUIDANCE
National Association of Counties and Government Finance Officers Association
Webinar recorded April 14, 2022
Join NACo and Government Finance Officers Association for an overview of what you need to know when it comes to reporting for the American Rescue Plan Act’s (ARPA) Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund. During this session, participants will hear about key requirements as they related to the U.S. Department of Treasury’s guidance and the federal Uniform Guidance. To view the slides and recording of the webinar, click here.
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NACo provides updates on ARPA funding
NACo refreshed a major update of its analysis of Treasury’s Final Rule for the ARPA Fiscal Recovery Fund. The updated analysis includes, but is not limited to the following:
- Clarifying information on eligible/ineligible uses from Treasury, including capital expenditures
- Deeper dive on the provisions around revenue loss allocations
- Treatment of loans
- Reporting requirements and background information on federal Uniform Guidance/2 CFR Part 200
 To see a concise summary of the final rule for the Recovery Fund, please see the Overview Document.
NACo members with questions should contact Eryn Hurley, director of Government Affairs, at ehurley@naco.org.
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Fair Board awarded $650,000 in grants for fairground improvements
Star Beacon, July 18, 2022
Big improvements are coming to the Ashtabula County fairgrounds, thanks to $650,000 in grants. The money is from Ashtabula County's share of $18.8 million in federal American Rescue Plans Funds.
Ashtabula County Commissioner Casey Kozlowski announced the news Wednesday night at the Fair Board's regular monthly meeting. “These funds were allocated with the primary purpose of helping communities recover from the pandemic,” Kozlowski said.
“The $650,000 will address several improvements to the grounds, including significant electrical upgrades, shower house renovations and other improvements necessary to retain the grounds year-round operations.”
Youth Mental Health Crisis Facility to Serve Meigs, Gallia and Jackson Counties
Meigs Independent Press, July 19, 2022
The Gallia-Jackson-Meigs ADAMH Board has partnered with Hopewell Health Centers and the Gallia County Board of Commissioners on the project which will be utilizing a portion of the former Gallipolis Developmental Center grounds. Youth in mental health crisis will have a local option for treatment once the facility becomes operational in a month or so. The facility is basically ready, staff will now be hired and trained.
A community-based, culturally appropriate option for Appalachian youth and families, has been made possible through multiple agencies in addition to entities previously mentioned funding has also been made possible with the Ohio Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS), and a grant from the Governor’s Office of Appalachia/Appalachian Regional Commission. Facilities such as this for youth in crisis are hard to come by throughout the state. This new facility will be serving youth in Meigs, Gallia or Jackson counties.
The facility will have a total of 16 beds once it is fully operational with a male wing and a female wing. There are community areas for watching television, playing games, puzzles or work on journaling. There is an area for family sessions. The area is a space where youth can meet with their family and have family counseling away from the rest of the unit.
Fairfield County Workforce center receives $2M to expand educational opportunities
Ohio University News, July 20, 2022
The Fairfield County Workforce Center will receive $2M from the Fairfield County commissioners to expand educational opportunities offered at the Center. In a meeting with community leaders on Tuesday, June 21, the commissioners detailed allocations for the county’s American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 funding and included the Fairfield County Workforce Center expansion.
Through a partnership with Fairfield County, Ohio University and Hocking College, the Workforce Center continues to grow as it offers training programs for high-demand industries including manufacturing, skilled trades and health care. The new funding will enable the Workforce Center to offer programs in engineering, technology, and nursing using state-of-the-art robotics, new work stations, and experienced instructors.
“It’s wonderful to work in a community where elected leaders see the value of maintaining a variety of educational opportunities,” OHIO Lancaster Dean of Campus and Community Engagement Jarrod Tudor said. “Ohio University Lancaster is proud to work with Fairfield County and other educational partners to build a diverse workforce.”
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AUGUST 2, 2022
OHIO GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRIMARY ELECTION
AUGUST 12, 2022
CORSA BOARD MEETING
AUGUST 15, 2022
CENTRAL DISTRICT MEETING, UNION COUNTY
AUGUST 25 - 26, 2022
WORKFORCE, FAMILIES AND CHILDREN SYMPOSIUM AT CHERRY VALLEY
AUGUST 26, 2022
CCAO AND CEBCO BOARD MEETINGS (CHERRY VALLEY)
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Scioto County
The Shawnee Forest and State Park in Scioto County is the largest park in the state of Ohio. The 1,095 acre area of land served as hunting grounds for Shawnee Native American tribes.
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Photo: Shawnee State Park
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