The Wayne County Auditor’s Office received Wayne County Council permission to replace a resigning employee.
During council’s March 4 personnel committee meeting, Max Smith, the council president, said that he and Barry Ritter, chair of council’s personnel committee, gave Auditor Mark Hoelscher special permission to post the deduction clerk and claim assistant’s position, but not to hire, because of a personnel shortage in the department. Council affirmed that action and gave permission for Hoelscher to hire an appropriate candidate.
During the finance committee meeting, council members then provided $1,000 from its training fund for the new hire’s training.
Two other part-time positions were approved for posting and hiring because employees are leaving. Dan Burk, director of the health department, will post a part-time clerk’s position. The position works from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday to cover for lunching employees and earns $20.74 per hour.
Karen Bowen, director of the county’s Court Appointed Special Advocates program, will post for a part-time volunteer recruiter. The position pays $20.74 per hour.
Weights and measures
Wayne County’s three certified inspectors checked 2,507 gas pumps and scales in the first seven months of the fiscal year.
Steve Higinbotham, the county administrator, told council members that 33 pumps and scales were rejected, and 20 of which — 17 gas pumps and three scales — were taken out of service. Inspectors test calibration of each octane at a fuel pump, putting fuel into a certified 10-gallon container, Higinbotham said. Inspectors have pumped 9,043 gallons of fuel.
Revolving Loan Fund
Commissioner Jeff Plasterer told council members that only about $30,000 remains outstanding from more than $700,000 loaned to 33 small businesses impacted by the pandemic during 2020.
Plasterer said all but four of the loans are paid off, with two recipients expected to complete payments within weeks. The other two are having payments restructured.
The county, Richmond, Economic Development Corp. of Wayne County and Economic Growth Group collaborated on the loan program through the county’s Revolving Loan Fund.
Emergency radio project
Council member Barry Ritter said the county’s volunteer fire departments have radios and training necessary to implement 800 megahertz radio communications.
The project, which includes installation of two new communications towers, improves radio coverage during emergencies. American Rescue Plan Act dollars are paying for the project. Final tower work must be completed before use of the new communications system begins.
During its finance committee meeting, council transferred $30,000 from its one-time money to pay invoices. The money will be tracked as an ARPA expense.
A version of this article appeared in the March 11 2026 print edition of the Western Wayne News.