Commissioner Greg Nohe signs petition for moratorium on injection wells
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MARIETTA – Washington County Commissioners met on Thursday afternoon where Commissioner Greg Nohe confirmed his signature on Washington for Safe Drinking Water's petition for a moratorium on Class II injection wells. Commissioners also approved a 4D reimbursement with the City Prosecutor and Child Support department, and a Road Use Maintenance Agreement with AEP.
During public comment, Dawn Hewitt with Washington County for Safe Drinking Water (SDW) thanked Nohe for his signature on it’s petition for a three year moratorium on the construction and activity of Class II injection wells until a "comprehensive, in-depth, rigorous study be done by the ODNR on the suspected brine migration issues reported in the county" can be completed, according to the petitions website.
Hewitt said "all five candidates for county commissioner have expressed support for a moratorium on injection in Washington County." She said Stephanie Lang (R) and Nohe have signed SDW's petition and Brain Whalin (D) and John Rouch (D) have signed resolutions as members of water authority boards. While Justin Harris has expressed support for a moratorium "stopping out of state brine from coming to (Washington County)," according to a letter posted on his facebook page.
Whalin serves as a member of the Tri-County Rural Water & Sewer Board and Rouch serves as the vice president of the Little Hocking Water Association.
Hewitt then asked Nohe "Can I trust your sincerity that come Jan and for the next four years, if you are elected, that you will hold fast to your signature on this moratorium?"
Nohe responded, "I will, making decisions like that are not easy to come by and I want to make sure that I do my due diligence and get the facts," he said, "So we need to move forward with this, and we need to ensure that our state leaders are listening to us."
Commissioners approved a 4D reimbursement contract from the Child Support office to the prosecutor's office for services rendered to the Child Support office. Director Kim Lowers spoke at the meeting that the contract, totaling in $77,103.41, is a three month contract and allows the partnership between her office and the prosecutor for providing legal services after the retirement of the Child Supports' legal counsel.
County Prosecutor Joe Durkin said "I think this is a fantastic opportunity."
Commissioners also approved a Road Use Maintenance Agreement (RUMA) from the engineer's office with APE, that would add new language on timeliness repair after issues during a previous RUMA.
In other business, commissioners approved nine additional appropriation requests: County General $8,000 to capital projects, Magistrate Court $8,000 to capital projects, Behavioral Health levy $225,000 to contract services, COunty Auditor $3,000 for office equipment, Engineer's office $400,00 for motor vehicle tax, Developmental Disabilities $208,920 for the purchase of a new home, County Prosecutor $20,725 to salaries, Common Pleas court, the Bureau of Justice Assistance grant, $47,170.10, Juvenile Court, Department of Youth Services grant, $485.