Carroll County Commissioners review well pad incident, website upgrade and sewer project

During the Dec. 18 Carroll County Commissioners meeting, Emergency Management Agency Director Tom Cottis and Deputy Emergency Management Director Dustin Lucas addressed the flash fire reported earlier in the week at an Indigo-area oil and gas well pad on June Road to clear up public misconceptions about the incident.

They said the fire was caused by an equipment malfunction during a vulnerable stage of the fracking process and that built-in safety protocols worked as designed. All workers were accounted for, and no injuries were reported. Officials said Great Trail Fire District, EOG Resources Inc., state officials and county agencies coordinated effectively, residual flames were quickly extinguished, no product escaped containment and there was no danger to the public or need for evacuations or other protective measures.

Commissioner Robert Wirkner later asked that EOG be thanked for its communication with the county following the incident.

“Would you let the oil and gas reps know that the commissioners appreciated the feedback from the industry on that well event,” Wirkner said. “I know I thanked them at the time they contacted us, but I want to make sure we reiterate that. I want that communication line to remain open and viable.”

In an unrelated matter, Carroll County resident Edward Hale asked about a fire truck that has been parked at the Carroll County Environmental Building for roughly 10 years with no clear ownership.

Hale stated that the fire truck issue was previously raised at a Carroll County Board of Commissioners meeting Jan. 13. He said that since that meeting, the matter appeared to have “kind of got extinguished,” with no further public update, prompting him to ask again about the truck’s ownership and status.

Commissioner Donald Leggett II said the vehicle remains on site and is not for sale and that the matter is currently under review by the county prosecutor, who will determine the proper legal steps for disposition. Leggett assured Hale the issue was not forgotten.

In other business, commissioners:

—DISCUSSED the county’s website, which was built in 2017 and is showing signs of age, including security concerns and a lack of ADA accessibility. Two proposals were presented: one from Layman Website Design for $16,800 to rebuild the site using existing content and another from Joshua Link for $15,000 for a new site build with a $1,500 annual maintenance and hosting fee. The board voted to table the matter until its next meeting to gather additional information and compare ongoing costs.

—DISCUSSED progress on the Stony Lake sewer upgrade, which is required under Ohio EPA findings that mandate corrective action within two years. Working with the Thrasher Group and county departments, officials have begun the design phase and are seeking EPA funding assistance. Potential new sewer rates would apply to Stony Lake and Voash Lake, but commissioners emphasized it is too early to establish rates until design and loan repayment details are finalized. The board approved submitting meeting minutes to the EPA documenting that rates will be determined later.

—APPROVED two Water Pollution Control Loan Fund payment requests totaling $114,487.03, including $39,956.54 retroactive to Dec. 15 and $74,530.49 for a second request. Officials said the funds are tied to state programs and do not come from county general funds.

—RECEIVED an update on the county annex building, noting most sidewalk work is complete, with final backfill and a small remaining section expected in the spring. Interior work is ongoing, departments have begun moving in and the sheriff’s office is managing the building’s key fob access system, which currently requires a separate fob from the courthouse.

—PAID the bills of $164,090.

—LEARNED the courthouse and non-emergency offices will be closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1, while elected officials’ offices will close at noon on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve and remain closed Friday, Dec. 26, and Friday, Jan. 2, with schedules for outlying departments to be posted publicly.