Harrison County Home generator to be rebid

For the second time, bids received to replace the generator at the Harrison County Home have been rejected.

Only two bids were received for the project, and Commissioner Dustin Corder again expressed surprise at the low number of bids. The two bids received also were higher than anticipated.

“This project will be rebid at a later date,” Corder said at the commissioners’ April 29 meeting. No further discussion was held.

The board also approved Contract 7-26 between the county and PDK Construction Inc. for work on the guardrail Phase V project, Corder said.

Harrison County Department of Job and Family Services Director Deb Knight also announced two personnel changes, with two employees leaving but only one being replaced.

“We have had a recent resignation,” Knight said. “One of our children’s services staff is leaving us to go to Belmont County. He started as an intern while he was at Ohio University Eastern, and we hired him part time halfway through his internship.”

Knight said Gage Harris was hired full time in May 2024 after he graduated. She said the department did not want to lose him, but he lives in Belmont County and she understood the move.

“He’s been a very good staff person, and we hate to lose him,” Knight said.

She said the department will not fill Harris’ position because caseloads are low at this time. Knight said there will be “some restructuring,” and the department will wait to see how things develop.

Knight also announced Paula Greer, an employee for nearly 33 years, is retiring. Greer’s position will be filled by Marissa Novak, whose hiring commissioners later approved on Knight’s recommendation. Knight said that because of anticipated funding cuts, the department did not fill some positions after another employee left last year, and Greer’s position was one of them.

“So, we are most appreciative of Paula’s time with us, and honestly, I think the work just got to be too much with all the stress they’re under right now,” Knight said.

Knight said Novak has four years of experience with Tuscarawas County, followed by work with the state’s hearings bureau.

At the end of the meeting, commissioners voted to enter executive session for “certain personnel matters regarding an employee investigation that we had done.”

When asked, Corder said the investigation was not related to the current investigation into the Harrison County Republican Party and missing money.