LISBON — The atmosphere at the Columbiana County commissioners meeting Wednesday morning was one of gratitude and congratulations, one day after voters approved renewal of the 1% sales tax with 63% of the vote.

“Congratulations on the sales tax passing. I was excited to see that,” county Department of Job and Family Services Director Rachel Ketterman told commissioners.

She received congratulations also for passage of the Children Services .75-mill levy renewal with 65% of the vote.

“I want to thank the voters of Columbiana County for voting for the sales tax that will allow us to provide good government services,” Commissioner Tim Ginter said after the meeting, adding it was a team effort. “We’re thankful for those who helped to promote the message for this, the fairest tax of all.”

Commissioner Roy Paparodis also commented on the success of the sales tax on the ballot.

“Very pleased for all the levies that passed, especially the county sales tax, keeping our county whole. Congratulations to all the winning candidates on their elections,” he said.

The county Board of Elections will meet at 1:30 p.m. May 20 to approve eligible provisional ballots to be included in the final tally of votes. Board of Elections Director Kim Fusco said there were 24 provisional ballots that need to be checked before they can be counted. These are ballots where the voter’s address or name may have changed.

At 4 p.m. May 22, the board will meet again to certify the final election results. Once the final results are certified, Fusco said they’ll determine whether the race for the Jan. 1 term of county Municipal Court Judge qualifies for an automatic recount. Danielle Menning won against Judge Kelly Linger by 28 votes for the Republican nomination, according to complete but unofficial results. There were also 40 plus absentee ballots that had not been returned yet. Menning will be unopposed in the fall since no Democrats filed for judge.

During the commissioners’ meeting, the Investment Advisory Board meeting was held, which includes all three commissioners, Treasurer Bryan Blakeman and Clerk of Courts Anthony Dattilio.

Blakeman thanked the county taxpayers for understanding the need for the sales tax and approving it.

“Without it, it would have been a completely different landscape,” he said.

The county’s investment portfolio includes more than $31 million in STAR Ohio, which is a more liquid fund, and then nearly $114 million in securities. The money for the investments comes from various special fund sources, such as the budgets for the Mental Health and Recovery Board, Board of Development Mental Disabilities and other county agencies. The commissioners do not control the special funds, but interest from the investments go to the general fund, which the commissioners do control.

Blakeman said there’s an awful lot of talk about the $114 million and questions about why it can’t be used instead of having a sales tax. He explained the interest generates about $4 million a year for the general fund.

“It’s not like we can take the money out and just spend it, we use the interest,” he said.

Due to getting higher interest rate investments locked in, the investment interest has continued to rise, which is expected to continue the next couple of years. As for the sales tax, Blakeman said his office had already been making plans for cuts in case it failed, such as taking away the online payment function and the payment program for seniors. Passage was good for everyone in the courthouse.

“We wouldn’t have been able to function without it passing,” Blakeman said.

In other business, the commissioners adopted resolutions to authorize county Engineer Bert Dawson to participate in Ohio Public Works Commission for the 2025 county multi-highway paving, a Skyview Acres project and a truss rehab in Hanover Township. Permission to hunt on the county’s County Home Road property, Lisbon, was granted to Matthew Wilson.

Commissioner Mike Halleck announced a community fundraiser for the Kiwanis Aktion Club from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. May 21 at Bob Evans in Salem where the restaurant will donate 15 percent of a check to the club when a diner presents the flyer.

The next meeting of county commissoners will be 9 a.m. May 14.

mgreier@mojonews.com