October 20, 2026

The October 20, 2026, Warren County Board of Commissioners meeting included discussion of a potential $472,000 purchase of replacement voting machines. The Elections Director said the current machines’ certification expires in January and the vendor will not seek recertification; the proposed replacement price includes a discount for the affected counties and is approximately at cost plus shipping. The county has about $1.3 million in its election revenue fund. Commissioners did not approve a purchase; they planned to contact the Secretary of State about continued use or recertification of the existing equipment before the vendor’s December pricing deadline. The Elections Director also reported unexpectedly high early-voting turnout and possible pressure on the department’s current-year budget. During a preliminary 2027 budget review, commissioners saw department requests that included new radios, but no purchases or budget allocations were approved. The board discussed employee health-plan design options, favoring an 18% internal cost allocation and option two for the base plan, while requesting further review of wellness coverage; no final plan action was recorded.

The board also discussed a county credit-card late fee caused by a mailed check arriving late, and said staff should find a way to prevent repeat penalties. An investment presentation reported about $36 million in core surplus funds under investment, a weighted average yield near 4.14%, and projected 2026 investment income exceeding $15 million including STAR Ohio; a commissioner requested a breakdown by county fund. In a continued public hearing on Blue Rock Properties LLC’s rezoning application for approximately 30 acres in Union Township, commissioners voted to continue the hearing to November 17, 2026, to allow further consideration of possible conditions and effects on neighboring residents. No contract awards or procurement approvals were identified.