Lawrence County Commissioners Meeting Minutes, April 28, 2026

Regular Session, 10:05 a.m. Fifteenth Business Meeting (nineteenth overall) of the Lawrence County Board of Commissioners. Held at Ohio University Southern.

Summary

The Lawrence County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on April 28, 2026, at Ohio University Southern. All three commissioners were present. The main actions are summarized below, with the complete record following.

Administrative approvals

  • Approved the corrected minutes from April 21, 2026.
  • Approved appropriations and transfers under $75,000 dated April 28, 2026.

Floodplain permits

  • Approved ten floodplain permits submitted by the Soil and Water Conservation District — one new permit (filling, grading, septic installation, and electrical service) and nine renewals covering stream maintenance, filling and grading, a residential structure, and a camper-in-floodplain project at various locations throughout the county.

Insurance and agreements

  • Approved the 2026 Annual Contribution to Buckeye Joint-County Insurance Council.
  • Approved and signed the Mutual Aid Agreement with Boyd County, KY EMA, pending prosecutor approval.
  • Approved and signed a letter of support for the Soil and Water Conservation District.

Personnel and appointments

  • Approved the hire of Devon Forbush as CPS SSW3, pending BCI/FBI and local background checks.
  • Approved the hire of Joshua Jackson as a new part-time EMT.
  • Appointed Josh Adams and Linday Murray to the Local Emergency Planning Committee.

Proclamations

  • Proclaimed the week of May 3–May 9, 2026, as Small Business Week.
  • Proclaimed eight students as 2026 Civic Scholar Recipients: Isaiah Fuhr, Haven Noel, Adyson Copley, Jack Lambert, Isaiah Saul, Annie Chen, Mitchell Dunlap, and Connor Goff.

Full minutes

Members present

  • Mrs. DeAnna Holliday, President
  • Dr. Colton Copley, Vice President
  • Mr. Mike Finley, Member

Commissioner Holliday, President of the Board, opened the meeting with roll call. All three members were present.

Actions, in order

  1. Moved by Commissioner Holliday, seconded by Commissioner Finley, to approve the meeting minutes of April 21, 2026, as corrected. Roll call: Finley, Holliday, and Copley voted yes.
  2. Moved by Commissioner Copley, seconded by Commissioner Finley, to approve the following floodplain permits submitted by the Soil and Water Conservation District. Roll call: Finley, Holliday, and Copley voted yes.
    • New, permit 2026-767: Kevin D. & Toni M. Ferguson — filling & grading, septic installation and electrical service projects at 27 Twp. Rd 1003.
    • Renewal, permit 2026-768: Ron Brewer — filling & grading and residential structure projects at 82 Pvt. Dr. 220.
    • Renewal, permit 2026-769: Roger A. Adkins — stream maintenance project at 531 Twp. Rd. 191.
    • Renewal, permit 2026-770: Chad Renfroe — stream maintenance project at 4008 Co. Rd. 16.
    • Renewal, permit 2026-771: David B. Freeman — stream maintenance project at 1328 St. Rt. 378 and across from 1328 St. Rt. 378.
    • Renewal, permit 2026-772: Ed Hagley — filling & grading project at 18 Pvt. Dr. 349.
    • Renewal, permit 2026-773: Linzi Lewis — camper in a floodplain project at 45 Pvt. Rd. 24.
    • Renewal, permit 2026-774: Christie A. Strow — stream maintenance project at 8893 Co. Rd. 37.
    • Renewal, permit 2026-775: Harry Hysell — filling & grading and stream maintenance projects at 1605 Co. Rd. 31.
    • Renewal, permit 2026-776: Thomas Balmer — stream maintenance project on Co. Rd. 5 (Elkins Creek Rd.).
  3. Moved by Commissioner Holliday, seconded by Commissioner Copley, to approve the appropriations and transfers dated April 28, 2026, under $75,000.00, submitted by Dylan Bentley, County Administrator. Roll call: Finley, Holliday, and Copley voted yes.
  4. Moved by Commissioner Finley, seconded by Commissioner Copley, to approve the 2026 Annual Contribution to Buckeye Joint-County Insurance Council. Roll call: Finley, Holliday, and Copley voted yes.
  5. Moved by Commissioner Finley, seconded by Commissioner Holliday, to hire Devon Forbush as CPS SSW3, pending BCI/FBI and local background checks. Roll call: Finley, Holliday, and Copley voted yes.
  6. Moved by Commissioner Copley, seconded by Commissioner Finley, to approve and sign the Mutual Aid Agreement with Boyd County, KY EMA, pending prosecutor approval. Roll call: Finley, Holliday, and Copley voted yes.
  7. Moved by Commissioner Holliday, seconded by Commissioner Finley, to approve the appointment of Josh Adams and Linday Murray to the Local Emergency Planning Committee. Roll call: Finley, Holliday, and Copley voted yes.
  8. Moved by Commissioner Copley, seconded by Commissioner Holliday, to approve the following personnel change: Joshua Jackson, new hire, part-time EMT. Roll call: Finley, Holliday, and Copley voted yes.
  9. Moved by Commissioner Holliday, seconded by Commissioner Finley, to approve and sign the letter of support for the Soil and Water Conservation District. Roll call: Finley, Holliday, and Copley voted yes.
  10. Moved by Commissioner Copley, seconded by Commissioner Holliday, to proclaim the week of May 3–May 9, 2026, Small Business Week. Roll call: Finley, Holliday, and Copley voted yes.
  11. Moved by Commissioner Holliday, seconded by Commissioner Finley, to proclaim the following students as 2026 Civic Scholar Recipients. Roll call: Finley, Holliday, and Copley voted yes.
    • Isaiah Fuhr
    • Haven Noel
    • Adyson Copley
    • Jack Lambert
    • Isaiah Saul
    • Annie Chen
    • Mitchell Dunlap
    • Connor Goff

Attestation

Board of Lawrence County Commissioners, Lawrence County, Ohio. Signed by DeAnna Holliday, President; Dr. Colton Copley, Vice President; and Mike Finley, Member. Attested by Colton Kuhn, Clerk.

Official record

The signed minutes are the official record of this meeting.

Download the official signed minutes for April 28, 2026 (PDF)