T-L Photo/KAILEY CARPINO Commissioner Dustin Corder reads the agreement to allow county workers to work the polls and get paid their usual wages without using a paid vacation, personal or sick day.

CADIZ — The Harrison County Board of Commissioners is encouraging county employees to serve as poll workers during the elections this year.

“I’m here on behalf of the Board of Elections asking the commissioners to consider a request to pass a resolution that would allow county workers to work the polls without having to take a personal, vacation day or sick day and still receive their pay that they would receive here as well as receive pay what they would get from working the elections polls,” Kelli Martin, deputy director of the Harrison County Board of Elections, said.

In the past, county employees would have to use a paid personal, vacation or sick day on Election Day to work the election polls or they would not get paid by the county. Martin said other counties in Ohio including Seneca, Auglaize and Hamilton counties have similar agreements in place.

All of the commissioners voted to approve the new agreement.

Commissioner Dustin Corder said the agreement is in accordance with Ohio Revised Code 3501.28.

“We do need poll workers very badly, so, hopefully, we’ll have some employees take advantage of this,” Commissioner Paul Coffland said.

The agreement states that the board of commissioners “supports all workers and recognizes the importance of these people performing their civic duty.”

In other news, the commissioners also awarded bids for the upcoming paving and guardrail projects. They opened bids for paving Athens Township Road 96 and County Road 22 on Jan. 1.

For Township Road 96, Shelly & Sands bid $330,530.35, Cast & Baker Corp. bid $307,690 and National Lime and Stone bid $311,824.90.

At county Engineer Del George’s recommendation, the commissioners awarded the bid to National Lime and Stone.

For County Road 22, Shelly & Sands bid $595,550.95, Cast & Baker Corp. bid $618,935.52 and National Lime and Stone bid $584,293.06.

On George’s recommendation, the commissioners awarded the bid to Cast & Baker Corp.

Corder said the engineer’s office has received funding from the Ohio Department of Transportation for both projects. Bid awards are contingent on the approval of ODOT.

The commissioners also approved two vouchers for the Harrison County Department of Job and Family Services, one for $1,287.86 and one for $50,109.15 to pay county bills. They also unanimously approved $17,925.45 for Children Services.

Albert Peters, administrator at the Harrison County Home, requested that $75,000 be moved from the Harrison County Home general fund to the account marked solely for the addition to the county home to make it easier to track expenses.

“This amount hopefully will cover the remaining expenses for the construction at the county home,” Coffland said.

The new addition has been in the works since its groundbreaking in October 2022. The 5,300-square-foot addition will include new office space and indoor and outdoor social spaces for the residents.

All commissioners voted in favor of the motion.