Hocking County commissioners meeting on Jan. 3 approved a package of appropriations, purchases and administrative items including transfers to the Hocking Soil and Water Conservation District, payment of an OWDA loan installment, equipment purchases for the coroner’s office, approvals for utility work on county roads and a liquor license application.

Why it matters: The approvals move county budgeted funds into operating and equipment accounts, authorize vendor contracts and allow right-of-way work that could affect county roads; several items included engineering conditions or administrative follow-ups.

The board approved three appropriations for the Hocking Soil and Water Conservation District that move county and fund balances into the district’s operating and hospitalization accounts and to recognize an unexpended balance from 2024. Commissioners also approved two transfers in the county’s OWDA loan fund to cover a principal payment (about $51,537.72) and interest (about $1,692.65).

The coroner’s office received multiple transfers to cover a new evidence-room badging system and related equipment and supplies. The board approved small transfers from the coroner’s contract services, travel and education accounts into equipment to cover additional costs.

The board signed off on a continuation of the county’s real-estate software contract for the new year and approved a liquor license application for SCBR Enterprises doing business as Buxton’s (a C-1 and C-2 license for carryout beverages). Commissioners also accepted the December lodging tax administrator report from Josh Gibbons. “There are 1,747 new lodging units in the county,” Josh Gibbons reported during the meeting, and the tax administrator noted 603 total businesses remitting payments, with 571 currently paying and 32 delinquent.

County engineer and staff approvals for utility work were also granted. The board approved underground-construction work for South Central Power on Jack Run Road and approved Sigma Technologies/American Electric Power work on River Road, subject to engineer notes that include minimum horizontal and vertical clearances from pavement. South Central Power’s request to replace poles on Sterling Road also cleared the board with engineer conditions.

Other administrative items approved included a roughly $1,000 purchase of a pallet of salt for janitorial/maintenance use, authorization to post job openings for a sewer-department vacancy and a human-resources position, approval of bonds for county employees specified by the commissioners, and a scheduling change: the courthouse will be closed Jan. 9 for the remembrance of former President Jimmy Carter and the regular Thursday meeting that week was moved to Wednesday, Jan. 8.

Votes at a glance:
- Hocking Soil & Water appropriation transfer (county appropriation into operating account 461004, $106,270.30): approved (voice vote).
- Hocking Soil & Water transfer to hospitalization ($10,445.76): approved (voice vote).
- Hocking Soil & Water additional appropriation ($34,916.73): approved (voice vote).
- Commissioner's office OWDA principal payment transfer ($51,537.72): approved (voice vote).
- Commissioner's office OWDA interest transfer ($1,692.65): approved (voice vote).
- Coroner: transfers to equipment (multiple small transfers totaling several thousand dollars) and appropriation shifts: approved (voice votes).
- Real-estate software contract continuation: approved (voice vote).
- Resolution to approve courthouse closure Jan. 9 and move meeting to Jan. 8: approved (voice votes/motion).
- Liquor license for SCBR Enterprises d/b/a Buxton’s (C-1, C-2): approved (voice vote).
- Lodging tax report (December): accepted (voice vote).
- Approvals for underground construction and pole replacements for South Central Power and Sigma Technologies/AEP (with engineer conditions): approved (voice votes).
- Purchase of pallet of salt (≈$1,000): approved (voice vote).
- Post job for sewer vacancy and human resources position: approved (voice votes).

The board used voice votes for most items; where engineering approval was required the county engineer’s notes were referenced and appended to the county’s approvals. No formal roll-call tallies were recorded in the transcript for the items summarized above.