Former Union County Commissioner Dave Lawrence passes away
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Last week, former Union County Commissioner Dave Lawrence passed away at the age of 67 after a year-long battle with ALS.
Dave worked as a Columbus police officer for more than 35 years, including time spent in the SWAT and narcotics divisions.
Dave was elected Union County Commissioner in 2022. He retired earlier this year to focus on his health.
You can read Dave's full obituary here.
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FINAL WEEK: Nominations for CCAO Board of Directors open
The CCAO Code of Regulations provides that the Board of Directors is composed of up to 35 members: 5 officers, 15 elected board members, 9 members appointed by the president, and the 6 most recent past presidents who still hold the office of county commissioner, county executive, or county council.
The Code of Regulations specifies that to be eligible to be nominated as an officer, an individual must be from a member county and have served a term of at least one year on the CCAO Board of Directors.
The CCAO Board of Directors typically meets nine times a year, and attendance and participation are vital. While there are circumstances where an individual cannot attend a meeting, this should not be the norm. The Association seeks people who are committed to attending and engaging in a majority of the meetings.
If you are interested in serving on the Board for a two-year term or as a past president or as an officer, please complete the attached Nominating Committee Form, or follow this link to an electronic form, along with the candidate questionnaire. Both forms must be returned no later than November 1, 2026, to the committee chair: Glenn Miller, 2408 Ken James Court, Napoleon, OH 43545, or by email at glenn.miller@henrycountyohio.gov.
In addition, mail copies to CCAO, 209 E. State Street, Columbus, OH 43215-4309, in an envelope marked: NOMINATING COMMITTEE – ATTENTION: Robin Garrett, or you may email your forms to rgarrett@ccao.org.
The Nominating Committee Report will be published on the web at www.ccao.org on November 23. The Business Meeting for election of officers and board members is scheduled for Thursday, December 10, 2026.
You can request consideration for more than one office. Also note that if you request to serve on the Board for a two-year term and/or as an officer and are not nominated, your name will automatically be submitted for consideration of a Presidential Appointment to the Board of Directors.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact Chair Glenn Miller at (419) 779-0020, or call CCAO Executive Director Cheryl Subler at (614) 746-8507.
TODAY: webinar on AI and permitting
Today, CCAO is hosting a webinar with Alynea on how local governments can utilize AI to improve the permitting process.
Using AI to Improve Permit Application Quality
Monday, October 26, at 2:00 p.m.
Presenter: Alynea staff
In this webinar you will hear from the team at Alynea, who work with local governments across the country to develop AI solutions that assist with complex permitting processes. The Alynea team will educate attendees on how AI can be implemented safely within your existing permitting structure and the benefits of adopting AI for both applicants and staff. They will also conduct a brief demonstration of their products and answer attendee questions.
Register Here! Top Top Governor signs dyed diesel executive order
On Wednesday, Governor DeWine signed an executive order waiving state penalties and suspending enforcement related to the use of dyed diesel on public roadways through Dec. 31, 2026.
Dyed diesel is typically used in off-road equipment like farm and construction equipment, as well as other off-road vehicles. It’s dyed so that law enforcement can tell if someone is using it to evade the $0.244 per gallon federal tax on diesel fuel, as dyed diesel is not taxed.
This builds on a previous federal executive order from October 5 that deferred the applicable federal excise tax but did not supersede state tax laws or allow public road use for dyed diesel. Ohio now joins more than a dozen states that have relaxed those laws.
Earlier this month, Ohio suspended state taxes for 90 days on both diesel ($0.47 per gallon) and gasoline ($0.385 per gallon). Top Two cybersecurity grants available through CyberOhio
CyberOhio has announced two grant opportunities for local governments to enhance cyber security.
The first, the ".gov Domain Migration Grant," is intended to help local governments transition their websites to the more secure ".gov" domain, which strengthens public trust and security.
The grant is available to all local governments, but priority will be given to rural governments (those serving 50,000 residents or fewer).
Grants are limited to $9,500 and the recipient must meet at least a 20% match requirement.
Applications close on November 20.
The second grant is the "Water Cybersecurity Grant," which is intended to enhance the cybersecurity protections for water and wastewater systems.
The grant is available to all local governments, but priority will be given to rural governments (those serving 50,000 residents or fewer).
The information about the grant does not list how much funding is available or a maximum grant amount. Recipients will need to provide at least a 40% match.
Applications close on December 4.
Office of Criminal Justice Services launching three domestic violence-focused grants
As a part of observing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Governor DeWine announced that the Office of Criminal Justice Services is launching three grant programs to assist local law enforcement in responding to domestic abuse incidents.
Grant funding is available for the acquisition of ballistic shields for officers, for training on lethality assessments (determining a domestic violence survivor's risk for future domestic violence), and for increasing co-response partnership models (where victim advocates respond to incidences with law enforcement).
To receive more information about these three programs, an agency must complete this short pre-application survey.
Additionally, each of the state's 55 recognized domestic violence shelter is receiving a one-time grant of $18,000 to assist their operations.
State funding opportunities
The table below contains current state grant or loan programs. A more comprehensive list can be found on the Ohio Grants Partnership webpage.
Grant Program
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Brief Summary
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Eligibility Criteria
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Amount Available
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Application Due Date
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| Violent Crime Reduction Grant |
To assist local communities in reducing and preventing violent crime using proven or promising crime reduction strategies. |
Law enforcement agencies
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Unspecified
No local match required
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November 16, 2026 |
| .gov Domain Migration Grant |
To help local governments transition their websites to the more secure ".gov" domain. |
Local governments, with priority for those serving less than 40,000 residents
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Maximum award: $9,500
20% local match required
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November 20, 2026 |
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Domestic Violence Awareness Month Grants
(must take brief preapplication survey)
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To assist in the response to domestic violence incidences and to assess the likelihood of future incidences. |
Law enforcement agencies
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Unspecified
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November 30, 2026 |
| Water Cybersecurity Grant |
To enhance the cybersecurity protections for water and wastewater systems. |
Local governments, with priority for those serving less than 40,000 residents
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Unspecified
40% local match required
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December 4, 2026 |
| Lake Erie Community Grant |
To help create healthy, thriving communities by providing resources and support to address local environmental challenges within the Lake Erie Basin. |
Local governments and non-profits within the Lake Erie Basin (page 45 & 46)
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Maximum award: $350,000
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December 16, 2026 |
| H2Ohio Conservation Ditch Grant Program |
To provide reimbursement for the construction of two-stage and self-forming conservation ditches. |
Soil and water conservation districts and county engineers |
Unspecified
Reimbursement model
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June 1, 2027
(Rolling until) |
Federal funding opportunities
The table below contains a sampling of current federal grant or loan programs. A full list can be found on Grants.gov.
Grant Program
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Brief Summary
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Eligibility Criteria
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Amount Available
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Application Due Date
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| Upholding the Rule of Law and Preventing Wrong Convictions Program |
To enhance wrongful conviction review entities and to prevent future wrongful convictions. |
General availability |
$5.4 million available
No match required
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November 2, 2026 |
| DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction Program |
To increase capacity for existing crime labs to process DNA samples for entry into CODIS. |
General availability to entities with crime labs. |
$4.9 million available
No match required
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November 3, 2026 |
| Family Treatment Court Program (New Courts) |
To support the implementation of family treatment courts. |
General availability to entities without a family treatment court. |
Maximum award: $850,000
Local match of at least 25%.
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November 16, 2026 |
| Family Treatment Court Program (Existing Courts) |
To support the expansion of family treatment courts. |
General availability to entities with a preexisting family treatment court. |
Maximum award: $750,000
Local match of at least 25%.
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November 16, 2026 |
| Opioid Affected Youth Initiative |
To reduce violent crime and overdose deaths through prevention, intervention, and treatment strategies. |
General availability |
$8.9 million available
No match required
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November 16, 2026 |
| Expanding Youth Access to Community-Based Treatment |
To support the development and expansion of community-based treatment programs serving youth. |
General availability |
$4.0 million available
No match required
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November 16, 2026 |
| Strategies to Support Children Exposed to Violence |
To improve communities' ability to help children exposed to violence in their homes, schools, and communities. |
General availability |
$7.3 million available
No match required
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November 16, 2026 |
| Juvenile Justice System Enhancements |
To improve the cost-effectiveness of the juvenile justice system by implementing targeted solutions to high-cost crime drivers. |
General availability |
$4.0 million available
No match required
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November 16, 2026 |
| Mentoring for Youth Impacted by Opioids and Substance Use |
To support high-quality mentoring services for youth currently using or dependent on substances, as well as youth with close family members using or dependent on substances. |
General availability |
$16.5 million available
No match required
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November 16, 2026 |
| Strengthening Operations to Reduce Crime and Recidivism |
To support projects that address one or more urgent local justice system challenges. |
General availability |
$12.7 million available
No match required
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November 20, 2026 |
| Title X Family Planning Services Grants |
To promote the general family planning programs and goals under Title X of the Public Health Service Act. |
General availability |
Maximum award: $22 million
Local match of between 1% and 10%
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January 9, 2027 |
Top Each week Counties Current highlights the happenings in our counties in the words of their local media.
One story from each of the CCAO's five districts is highlighted, and on occasion other stories may be highlighted as well.
A paid subscription may be required to view the full article in some cases.
Northwest District
Van Wert, Mercer Counties fine tune Hazard Mitigation Plan
Times Bulletin, October 21, 2026
Van Wert and Mercer counties are moving forward with a regional hazard mitigation plan that could help local communities secure federal funding for projects such as tornado shelters and infrastructure improvements.
The second public outreach meeting for the plan was held Wednesday at the Van Wert County Emergency Management Agency offices. Officials reviewed potential mitigation projects submitted by local jurisdictions and began prioritizing which projects should be included in the plan.
Matt Saunier, director of the Van Wert County EMA, said the meeting brought together information collected during the first outreach session, when participants completed surveys identifying potential projects in their communities.
“This second meeting brings all of those surveys together and the students from Ohio State say, ‘These are the projects that we want to continue working on. We want to add to the plan. Let’s prioritize these projects,’” Saunier said.
Following Wednesday’s meeting, students from The Ohio State University will use the survey responses and identified hazards to complete the plan and establish priorities for future mitigation efforts.
One of Saunier’s priorities is expanding access to tornado shelters in villages and other areas where residents may lack suitable places to take cover during severe weather.
“Some of the bigger projects that I wanna see included in the plan and taken care of are tornado shelters for villages,” Saunier said. “There are needs for sturdy shelters in each of those villages.”
Some communities have constructed multipurpose facilities that serve residents throughout the year while also providing shelter during tornadoes and other severe weather.
Saunier said similar facilities could benefit more residents as outdoor activities and community events continue to draw people together.
In Van Wert, he said, the growing number of people living downtown and the number of events held there make access to appropriate shelters an important consideration.
“Specifically in the city of Van Wert, there are more residents that are living downtown,” Saunier said.
He noted that adequate shelter is available for downtown residents but said additional options could be beneficial as more people attend events in the area.
“As we have more events downtown, you know, we have the Peony Festival, we have a lot of the Main Street cruises and so on and so forth, having access to suitable shelters for individuals as they’re out doing those things would be beneficial,” Saunier said.
Northeast District
Commissioners repeal funding for two bridge projects
The Review, October 21, 2026
The Columbiana County commissioners recently authorized the county engineer's request to reverse course on two bridge projects and do two other bridges instead.
During a meeting two weeks ago, the commissioners approved the submission of applications for Ohio Public Works Commission State Capital Improvement Local Transportation Improvement Program funding for concrete repairs to a bridge on old state Route 45 in Madison Township and replacement of a bridge on Westville Lake Road in Knox Township.
Last week, though, the commissioners repealed those resolutions. Troy Graft of the county engineer's office explained that the estimate for the Westville Lake Road bridge project ended up north of $1 million and that would break the department's budget for the funding.
He said another round of funding will come next year and the department will look for more funding to stack on that OPWC money so the Westville Lake Road bridge project can be done.
Instead, plans call for doing a bridge replacement project on Middleton Road, just west of New Waterford, in Fairfield Township, and another bridge replacement project on Bates Road in West Township. Graft said the county will be able to maximize this current round of OPWC funding by doing these two bridge projects now.
He said the total estimate for both projects together is $750,000.
Central District
Perry County Commissioners provide bed update
Perry Tribune, October 21, 2026
The Perry County Commissioners provided an update on the acquisition of donated beds from last week. They announced that nearly 200 beds had been transported into Perry County, and that they are currently working with the county job and family services, United Way and Habitat for Humanity in order to find individuals in need of beds after heavy flooding hit the county in August..
Later, the commissioners approved the establishment of a new fund, expenditure line and revenue line for a subsidy grant through the municipal court, which will be going towards the drug court.
Additionally, the commissioners authorized board President Scott Owen to sign a records retention schedule for Perry County Job and Family Services. Owen was also authorized to sign a change order for the village of Shawnee’s street improvements. This comes as part of a grant that the county had helped Shawnee obtain.
The commissioners were later presented with a list of prospective properties to be demolished, and authorized county administrator Jim Stroup to sign off on it. This effectively allows the county to apply for grant funding for demolition.
Later on, the commissioners agreed to sign a waiver of insurance requirement, assumption of risk and indemnification agreement. These agreements are in regards to the ladder 7 firetruck, which is owned by the New Lexington Fire Department and will be placed on Perry County property until a better home for it can be found.
Southwest District
State audit finds Greene County properly handling veterans services funds
Dayton Daily News, October 5, 2026
A state audit found Greene County properly funded veterans services, rejecting concerns that the county had failed to allocate enough money to the program.
County Administrator Brandon Huddleson presented the findings Thursday, Oct. 16, to the Greene County commissioners from the county’s 2025 financial audit. He also released on social media the 73 pages received from the Ohio Auditor of State through a public records request for related internal documents, working papers, notes and emails.
“They found that were were doing everything according to law exactly,” Huddleson said.
The Greene County Veterans Services Commission, which has a staff of 10, has an average annual budget of about $1.1 million over the last three years. The agency assists veterans by helping them apply for federal benefits, offering cash assistance, and providing transportation.
Ohio law requires each county to establish a VSC and fund it with up to half a mill of the county’s “inside” — or unvoted — millage. The statute does not require commissioners to give the VSC the entire 0.5 mills if the full amount is not requested. However, any lawful request within that millage must be fulfilled.
A letter from Greene County Auditor Kraig Hagler included among the six dozen pages posted to Facebook stated the VSC in Greene County is supported by the county’s general fund.
“There is no dedicated levy for veterans funding in Greene County,” Huddleson said. “There is no leftover millions of dollars. You are funding this out of the general fund because you have the ability to do it,” he told commissioners.
In 2024, the Greene County VSC spent nearly $1.1 million, or about one-third of the half-mill it is able to request.
Southeast District
Commissioners discuss Acquired Lands Revenue Modernization Act
Marietta Times, October 22, 2026
Commissioner Charlie Schilling read a news release from U.S. Rep. Dave Taylor, R-Ohio 2nd, on the introduction of the Acquired Lands Revenue Modernization Act with companion legislation introduced by Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, in the Senate on Wednesday morning.
According to the release, the act would increase the share of qualifying revenue states receive from energy development on federally acquired lands. It would increase the state share from 25% to 50%, returning a greater share from the federal land leases, rentals, and royalties to the states where development occurs, the press release said.
"Anyone that's been here for the last six years, knows that we've talked so much about how the Frontier Local School District has been impoverished by the fact that the land in the Wayne National Forest is valued at $600 per acre,” Schilling said.
He referenced the lease of 2,777 acres in Wayne National Forest by the Bureau of Land Management earlier this year, saying "The federal government received (approximately) $11 million for that lease. Twenty-five percent of that then comes back to the state and it is divided in a manner that isn’t fair to our county here."
Schilling also read a statement from the Board of Commissioners saying, "Far too long our county has not received our fair share of revenue generated right here in our backyard. … These additional resources will allow the commission to strengthen our community services and support projects that improve the lives of Washington County residents."
Taylor is on the ballot Nov. 3 for Ohio's 2nd Congressional District opposing Democrat Jen Mazzuckelli.
In other business, commissioners approved two memorandums of understanding with Ohio Valley Education Service Center and the Oriana House.
The agreement with OVESC will use funds from the county's One Ohio Opioids fund to support OVESC by providing a position within the 14 preschools in Washington County with Behavioral Health Board matching funds.
As part of the agreement with the Oriana House, commissioners will apply for funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance for an Adult Treatment Court. Top OCTOBER 30
CEBCO Board of Directors Meeting
NOVEMBER 3
General Election
NOVEMBER 6
CORSA Board of Directors Meeting
NOVEMBER 10
OCCO Legislative Reception
NOVEMBER 11
Veterans Day - Holiday
NOVEMBER 13
CEBCO Board of Directors Meeting
NOVEMBER 20
CCAO Board of Directors Meeting
NOVEMBER 26
Thanksgiving - Holiday
DECEMBER 9-11
CCAO/CEAO Annual Winter Conference Top
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