November 2, 2026

Last week, CCAO Executive Director Cheryl L. Subler reached an incredible milestone: three decades of dedicated service to Ohio's 88 counties!

During a visit to with the commissioners of Mahoning County and the Trumbull County, Cheryl was presented with a special resolution honoring her 30-year long commitment to Ohio's 88 counties.

Congratulations on 30 extraordinary years! We hope there are many more as we build Stronger Counties and a Stronger Ohio.

^{Photo courtesy of Mahoning County.}

Tax issues, CCAO member races on the ballot tomorrow

Tomorrow is the 2026 General Election. Ohioans across the state will head to their polling places to cast votes on a wide variety of elected positions and local ballot issues.

There will be just shy of 90 county property tax levies on the ballot. The majority (57 levies) are for human services functions such as mental health and recovery boards, senior services, and boards of developmental disabilities. 

Twenty-nine of the levies seek new money (either a renewal with an increase or an entirely new levy).

More information on property tax levies on the ballot is available in the October 23 issue of Statehouse Report.

There are three county sales tax issues on the ballot, all of which are renewals. More information about these is available in the October 30 issue of Statehouse Report.

There are 105 CCAO member seats on ballot tomorrow. This includes one seat in the 86 statutory counties, six Cuyahoga County Council seats, the Cuyahoga County Executive seat, three Summit County Council seats, and nine unexpired seats.

There are 71 incumbents seeking reelection; of these, 29 are running unopposed. There are an additional 11 uncontested races that do not feature incumbents.

When considering these races, along with contested races that do not feature an incumbent, CCAO is guaranteed at least 34 new members. Of these guaranteed new members, one will be a returning CCAO member and two others may be.

Ken Stiverson is unopposed in the Marion County Commissioner race. He previously served as a Marion County Commissioner from 2011 to 2022.

Terry Boose is one of the two candidates for the expired Huron County Commissioner seat. He previously served as a Huron County Commissioner from 1997 to 2004 and again from 2017 to 2024.

Mark Van Buren is one of the two candidates for the Licking County Commissioner seat. He previously served as a Licking County Commissioner in 2008.

Twelve Association board members are up for reelection tomorrow.

CCAO Board of Directors

• Opposed
  • Casey Kozlowski, CCAO 1st Vice President and Ashtabula County Commissioner
  • Chris Ronayne, Cuyahoga County Executive
  • Carolyn Rice, Montgomery County Commissioner
  • Alan Harold, Stark County Commissioner
    
    
• Unopposed
  
  • Mike Halleck, Columbiana County Commissioner
  • Jeff Fix, Fairfield County Commissioner
  • Dick Gould, Greene County Commissioner
  • Melissa Bell, Muskingum County Commissioner
  • Scott Owen, Perry County Commissioner
  • Jon Hofstetter, Wayne County Commissioner

CEBCO Board of Directors

• Unopposed
  
  • Bartley Westfall, Williams County Commissioner

CORSA Board of Directors

• Opposed
  
  • Dave Wilson, Guernsey County Commissioner
    
    
• Unopposed
  
  • Melissa Bell, Muskingum County Commissioner

CCAO has produced lists of county ballot issues and CCAO member races.

The results of the county ballot issue votes and CCAO member elections will be shared in the November 6 issue of Statehouse Report and the November 9 issue of Counties Current.

The November 6 issue of Statehouse Report will also include results of General Assembly and statewide officeholder races.

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Association publishes the Fall 2026 edition of County Leader

Read the Issue Here

Inside, you'll explore a range of stories packed with timely and valuable information for counties, including:

Praise for the Regional Hub Model of Indigent Defense The Role of Land Banks in Housing and Economic Development How County and Independent Fairs Celebrate Ohio Agriculture Also: Policy Update: Gas Tax Holiday and Transportation Funding How OSU Extension Supports Agriculture Safety and Farm Stress Education  Profile of County Next Generation 9-1-1: Clark County Voice of County Leader: CCAO 1st Vice President and Ashtabula County Commissioner Casey Kozlowski Messages from 2026 CCAO President Denise Driehaus and CCAO Executive Director Cheryl Subler

• CORSA News
• CEBCO News
• CCAO Service Corp News
• CCAO R&E News
• OCERP News

Please reach out to us at comms@ccao.org with feedback and future story ideas!

Auditor of State releases Medicaid Performance Audit

Earlier this month, the Auditor of State (AOS) released the performance audit of the Ohio Department of Medicaid’s (ODM) Next Generation initiative. House Bill 96, the most recent state operating budget, mandated the audit of ODM’s strategic planning and performance evaluation, county oversight, contract management, and provider claim processing. In Ohio, the county JFS agencies administer Medicaid eligibility while the state supervises and sets policies.

The report issues nine recommendations and one issue for further study across three categories: Strategic Planning and Management; County Oversight; and Stakeholder Engagement.

Through the audit process, the auditors interviewed 20 county JFS agencies representing 22 counties. Detailed summaries of the county oversight recommendations are below.

Recommendation 5: Improve Collaboration with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) and the Department of Children and Youth (DCY) to Align Eligibility Determination Rules, Policies, and Processes Where Possible

Almost all the counties interviewed identified the lack of communication and misalignment between ODM, ODJFS, and DCY as an issue that impacts their operations and has become more prominent over time.

Specific issues identified included:

• Lack of alignment of rules, policies, and processes between programs;
  
  
• Inability to use the same documentation or systems for information verification between programs;
  
  
• Competing priorities and a lack of understanding of other program responsibilities;
  
  
• State agencies not answering questions about other programs;
  
  
• Lack of alignment of renewal timelines between programs and inability to shift timelines to align; and
  
  
• Impact of program changes on other programs and quantity of changes across programs.

The audit states that aligning policies, procedures and training across the three supervising agencies would improve the efficiency and effectiveness of application processing and eligibility determination and reduce duplication.

Recommendation 6: Work with ODJFS and CDJFS Agencies to Identify Issues with Ohio Benefits and Develop Solutions

A common theme among all counties interviewed was challenges with the Ohio Benefits system – the technology system used by county JFS agencies to process applications and determine eligibility across public assistance programs. The issues reported are summarized in the chart below.

Commonly Identified CDJFS Issues with Ohio Benefits
General Functionality	Inconsistent functioning System updates Conflicts between programs Opportunity for error Lack of information about errors
Determination Accuracy	Quantity and frequency of overrides and workarounds required for the system to function correctly Online ticket portal submission
Alerts	Quantity of alerts that caseworkers must process Must sort through many alerts to find those that are relevant to eligibility
Automation	Passive renewal issues Bots not functioning correctly or creating more work for caseworkers
Self-Service Portal	Not user-friendly Difficult to navigate Applications come in incomplete or multiple times New indications
Source: Medicaid Performance Audit, CDJFS Feedback

The audit stresses the impact of these challenges on timely and accurate eligibility determinations and renewals, and the importance of ODM consulting county JFS agencies when considering changes to Ohio Benefits. The audit recommends ODM work with ODJFS and county JFS agencies to identify and develop solutions to:

• Improve the functionality and accuracy of Ohio Benefits;
  
  
• Reduce the number of overrides and workarounds required;
  
  
• Reduce the quantity of alerts;
  
  
• Improve automation; and
  
  
• Make the Ohio Benefits Self-Service Portal more user friendly.

Recommendation 7: Enhance Data Collection to Identify Issues Impacting Application Processing Timeliness

The audit finds that Ohio has historically fallen below the national average for Medicaid application processing timeliness, while also concluding that ODM does not use county-level data to identify the root cause of delays in application processing.

The audit also speaks to county JFS agency workforce and funding concerns, citing difficulty recruiting and retaining workers leading to high caseloads which affect timeliness. The funding analysis reads, in part:

Over the past 12 years, Ohio’s standard state funding allocated to CDJFS agencies for Medicaid appropriations has only increased 1.9 percent. In the last few years, ODM has provided additional funding to encourage improvements in application processing timeliness, referred to as incentive funding. When this incentive funding is included, state Medicaid funding for CDJFS agencies has increased by 15.0 percent. However, counties indicated that they are not able to rely on this funding, as it depends on their quarterly performance, and therefore cannot use it to hire additional staff members or increase wages. In comparison, Ohio’s state appropriations for Medicaid administration at the state level have increased by 35.3 percent.

While state funding for CDJFS agencies has remained stagnant over time, county caseloads have increased. From CY 2017 to 2025, the number of Medicaid applications received increased by approximately 20.8 percent. In addition to this, the CDJFS agencies we interviewed noted that policies, processes, and systems have become more complicated over time while expenses have risen. This has resulted in what the majority of counties described as unmanageable caseloads. (page 108-109)   

Auditors recommend using county-level data to develop process improvements and solutions in conjunction with county JFS agencies to ensure that solutions are “appropriate and feasible.”

Recommendation 8: Expand, Standardize, and Communicate Quality Control Efforts to Improve the Accuracy of Eligibility Determinations

The audit discusses the limitations of ODM’s existing quality control reviews, finding they are insufficient to evaluate and improve county eligibility operations. Auditors also discuss the lack of communication with county JFS agencies regarding the quality control reviews that are performed.

While ODM complies with current federal standards, auditors recommend the department use quality control processes for performance management, which would require expanding and standardizing the process year over year. The recommendation also emphasizes communication with county JFS agencies about the results of the quality reviews as critical for improving performance.

Issue for Further Study: The Passive Ex Parte Renewal Process

The audit also raises concerns about ex parte Medicaid renewals, the Ohio Benefits system processes the renewal automatically using electronic data sources. Counties report that some individuals may remain enrolled despite no longer meeting eligibility requirements. Auditors identified this as an issue requiring further study, recognizing that a passive renewal process can also reduce county workloads and prevent unnecessary coverage losses.

The other recommendations issued in the audit are:

• Recommendation 1: Align Strategic Plans and Program Evaluation Efforts with Operational Strategies to Improve Agency Outcomes
  
  
• Recommendation 2: Enhance Transparency of Caseload and Financial Forecasting Materials
  
  
• Recommendation 3: Improve Contract Management Practices
  
  
• Recommendation 4: Collect and Utilize More Detailed Claim Payment Timeliness Metrics to Improve Transparency and Performance Management
  
  
• Recommendation 9: Develop and Utilize a Stakeholder Engagement Plan

The full performance audit can be found here. Members with questions about the audit should contact Rachel Reedy at rreedy@ccao.org.

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	Brief Summary	Eligibility Criteria	Amount Available	Application Due Date
Violent Crime Reduction Grant	To assist local communities in reducing and preventing violent crime using proven or promising crime reduction strategies.	Law enforcement agencies	Unspecified No local match required	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	Maximum award: $9,500 20% local match required	November 20, 2026
Domestic Violence Awareness Month Grants (must take brief preapplication survey)	To assist in the response to domestic violence incidences and to assess the likelihood of future incidences.	Law enforcement agencies	Unspecified	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	Unspecified 40% local match required	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)	Maximum award: $350,000	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	June 1, 2027 (Rolling until)

^{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.}

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Northeast District

Lorain County commissioners exploring audit of court, hint at countywide audit
Morning Journal, October 30, 2026
Lorain County commissioners are inquiring with the state auditor about conducting a performance audit of the county’s Domestic Relations Court, as litigation remains pending over the judges’ budget.

At a recent commissioners’ meeting, Commissioner David J. Moore asked Interim County Administrator Karen Perkins to contact Ohio Auditor Keith Faber’s office in regard to beginning an audit.

“I’ll be happy to make that call,” said Perkins.

“It’s really to help them, in my opinion,” said Commissioner Marty Gallagher, pointing out that in the private business sector, banks regularly review their clients’ portfolios.

“This is very similar in my eyes,” Gallagher said.

Their decision follows on the heels of agreeing an audit must be conducted at the county auditor’s office due to financial obligations that have not been met.

“This board is in the middle of litigation with domestic relations (court) and that’s because we cut a nonmandated service that they were providing,” Moore said.

The domestic relations judges filed a complaint in court after they learned of the decrease in their budget late last year.

Meanwhile, the domestic relations judges have gone over budget this year, Moore also said.

“This board has been committed to not micromanaging departments or trying to micromanage other electeds, which we don’t have the authority to do anyways,” said Commissioner Jeff Riddell.

“Rather than file a complaint and treating this as an adversarial relationship, the performance audit is so we can understand what we don’t understand,” Riddell also said.

The performance audit reviews staffing and organizational structure, in addition to many other aspects of the department, and compares those statistics with other counties of similar size and best practices.

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Southwest District

Clark County approves emergency funds to fix cracked jail column
Springfield News Sun, October 29, 2026
After some Clark County Jail inmates were moved to another facility because of structural damage, commissioners approved spending over $14,000 to temporarily fix the issues.

During a recent structural damage inspection of the jail, it was found that an exterior support column was significantly cracked and in need of immediate repair, according to Clark County Sheriff Chris Clark. After further inspection by a structural engineer, it was determined the support column needs to be braced and supported until repairs can be made.

Clark County commissioners approved an emergency contract at their Wednesday, Oct. 28 meeting with Bruns Construction for $14,535 from the permanent improvement fund for temporary shoring to repair the deteriorated columns.

“We are working on getting temporary shoring in place, which should take about a week. As far as I know, there are engineers working on the long-term fix and I do not have an update on what that looks like or how long that may take,” he said.

“Out of an abundance of caution,” inmates in the housing areas directly affected by that support column were removed and temporarily transferred to the Logan County Jail, a move Clark said is expected to be short term and temporary.

Clark said 45 inmates were taken to the Logan County Jail at a cost of $65 per inmate, per day, not including medical expenses, which is $2,925 total per day. However, he said the number of inmates could fluctuate up or down while things are being fixed because of releases, intake, etc.

Once the shoring is complete, Clark said they’ll work with engineers and the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections to make sure they are “100% safe” to move inmates back into the affected area.

“The remaining areas of the jail remain unaffected and are still up and operating. The remaining support columns were all inspected and, outside of some superficial repairs, were deemed structurally sound,” he said, explaining all other areas remain safe for inmate housing.

The current, almost-50-year-old facility, housed in the public safety building downtown with the police division and sheriff’s office, requires more than $2 million in repairs and improvements, including a new roof, jail locks, HVAC equipment, boilers and chillers.

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