XENIA — Looking ahead at 2020, Greene County elected officials have plans to improve their offices through technology — and one is hoping for a facility ground breaking before year end.
Board of Greene County Commissioners
Greene County Commissioner Bob Glaser had only positive predictions for 2020, calling it “a year building on 2019’s successes.”
“Greene County will continue to prosper, new home construction continues strong, primarily in the Beavercreek Township area, although (it) continues throughout the county,” Glaser said. “Sales tax continues to grow as the county moves to get control of internet sales.”
Beyond a strong housing market, the commissioner anticipates to see more business growth, as well.
Greene County Treasurer
On the heels of the launch of a new cashiering system, Treasurer Kraig Hagler said enhancing credit card services is in the works, enabling all systems to communicate with each other in real time.
The treasurer’s goals for 2020 center around technology.
“Moving to more electronic records and choosing vendors who more efficiently meet the needs of the office lowers the consumption of materials,” Hagler said. “This also allows us to become more efficient in retaining, and accessing records when needed, also providing better customer service to the taxpayers.”
Not yet in his second year in office, the treasurer said he’ll continue working with the prosecutor’s office to assist with re-mediating vacant land and abandoned properties.
“Together we are working with our local communities to identify blighted properties that have the greatest opportunity to become productive parts of their community again,” he said.
Greene County Clerk of Courts
In 2019, the Auto Title Division not only transferred more than 93,000 titles and deposited $982,710.93 into the county’s general fund, but also acted as the ‘pilot county’ for Ohio’s new Title Design Program and earned an award for it from the Ohio Clerk of Courts Association.
Clerk of Courts A.J. Williams said the total number of cases opened this year on the Court of Common Pleas and Court of Appeals dockets hit 6,159.
“With a Legal Division staff of 8, this is no small feat,” Williams said.
The Legal Division also collected more than $300,000 in fees and fines, which are also transferred to the county.
Williams has even more plans for 2020 — and specific goals, like topping $1,000,000 in title transfers.
The Auto Title Division will add two more credit card readers and the Legal Division will invest in new scanning equipment. Both divisions will participate in various trainings and seminars, and the Legal Division will continue a new program of cross-training.
“We have three major divisions within the courthouse operation: criminal, domestic relations, civil. This year, we instituted the cross training program so our staff has the ability to assist a division with a higher case load, fill-in for illness, cover vacations, etc,” Williams said. “This program has already paid dividends, as we now have a very knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff, eager to learn the ins and outs of each division. This also helps our office do ‘more with less’ and allows for the office to run efficiently with a lower operating budget, saving tax payer dollars.”
Greene County Auditor
For Auditor David Graham, 2020 will be busy with the completion of the sexennial reappraisal of property values.
“My goal is to educate the public on how property taxes work and how values are determined,” Graham said. “I will also be rolling out additional information on our website including: the county’s unclaimed funds list; an application that will allow property owners to view sales of properties in their neighborhood so they can determine the reasonableness of their appraisal; and a tax calculator that will allow individual looking to build a new home to estimate what the taxes will be based on an appraised value that they enter.”
Behind the scenes improvements will include a new county-wide time and attendance system and a new dog license application.
Greene County Sheriff
Sheriff Gene Fischer has his eyes set on one project in particular as the new decade begins.
“While we spent much time in 2019 asking for a new under one roof facility, we see this need as a major step forward for this county and much time will be needed as we prepare for the future,” Fischer said. “Hopefully we can work together to get a funding mechanism in place to accomplish this much needed project and see a ground breaking prior to the end of the year.”
Fischer said he plans to continue the solid working relationships with all the other law enforcement agencies throughout the county.
“Working together on preventing crime and protecting our citizens is a win-win for all involved,” he said.
