By GLENN WOJCIAK

The Post staff writer

Medina County Public Transit has received a $98,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Transportation to acquire automatic data processing equipment to aid in scheduling its on-demand bus service.

"This mobile tracking systems is a great innovation for our transit system," said County Commissioner Steve Hambley. "This is going to be a great assist to our scheduling and move us toward real time scheduling."

The new GPS tracking system is expected to allow the transit dispatch center to monitor the location of buses and reroute them as new requests for service are received. The current system requires all rides be scheduled in advance and allows little flexibility to the route a driver is assigned at the beginning of his day.

Hambley said the new system is based on iPad and tablet technology which is expected to be used by 80 percent of the private sector workforce in another year.

County commissioners approved acquisition of the new equipment by approving a rural capital contract with ODOT for distributing the grant money.

Daugherty commended

County commissioners approved a resolution commending Joyce Daugherty for her 26 years of service at the Medina County Home. According to her commendation, "Joyce has gone beyond the call of duty in providing dignity and respect for the residents and shown tireless effort and dedication of purpose to serve our most fragile citizens."

She retired from her job as laundry supervisor Jan. 31 and had also worked as a hospital aide at the County Home.

Bus purchases

County commissioners authorized the Medina County Public Transit Department to purchase three light transit vehicles to add to its fleet of buses. The transit department has received a grant of $173,000 from the Ohio Department of Transportation for the purchase. Bids were obtained and reviewed through a joint purchasing agreement with the Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority and a contract for the buses was awarded to TESCO.

Jail dental services

The Medina County Sheriff has reached an agreement with the Medina County Health Department to provide dental services to inmates at the county jail through 2012. Terms of the agreement call for the sheriff to pay the Health Department $89 per hour for the service or $712 per month for eight hours of service.

Jail mental health care

County commissioners entered an agreement with Alternative Paths Inc. to continue providing mental health and substance abuse counseling services to inmates at the county jail during 2012. The agreement calls for Alternative Paths to be paid $227,885 for the services.

Jobs removed

County commissioners approved amendments to the organizational charts of two county agencies that permanently removed six jobs from the county payroll. The amendments removed four fulltime and one part-time staffer from the organizational chart of the Medina County Child Support Enforcement Agency and an eligibility screener was removed from the list of employees at the Jobs and Family Services Department.

Another amendment added a part-time food worker to the organizational chart of the Medina County Office for Older Adults.

Gasoline purchase

Petroleum Traders of Fort Wayne, IN was the low bidder for the sale of 7,100 gallons of unleaded gasoline to the Medina County Engineering Center. Petroleum Traders made the sale for $2.78 a gallon for the gasoline which is used to fuel various county vehicles. Three other wholesalers also submitted bids for the sale ranging from $2.85 to $2.91 a gallon.

Fair housing agreements

The cities of Brunswick and Medina have agreed to contracts accepting fair housing assistance agreements from the county. Providing fair housing services is a required component of accepting the Community Development Block Grants and Children's Health Insurance Program funds provided by the Federal government.

Appointments

Commissioners reappointed Jeffrey Vogel and Sharon MacKay alternates to the Medina County Drug Abuse Commission. They also appointed Jeff Brandon and Elayne Siegfried as alternates for the townships on the Medina County Planning Commission.

New patrol car

Commissioner authorized the Medina County Sheriff Office to purchase a new 2012 Dodge Charger for $23,395 to replace one of their current road vehicles.