09/26/2025

Defiance Board of DD updated on grants, upcoming events

Wendy Bryant Scheurich

The Defiance County Board of DD was informed of the status of various grants during its meeting on Tuesday.

According to a board media release, five fountains and dishwasher have been installed using Ohio EPA Resource Reduction grant funds.

The federal Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant has been submitted, with the funds designated for the PA system upgrade, security cameras and other security upgrades.

It was also noted the board plans to submit a grant application to the Defiance Area Foundation for a community grant to use for a cafeteria kitchen upgrade project to upgrade counters and cabinets that have been mentioned in past inspections.

The Early Childhood Education grant applications are also being prepared. This grant is received through the Ohio Department of Education for the preschool programs.

Among upcoming events discussed were the Defiance DD Special Olympics Tigers sports banquet on Oct. 5, and the annual fall dance Friday at the school.

Also, the second annual holiday card contest was kicked off recently and the annual Halloween door decorating contest at the school will be held Oct. 31.

In the area of marketing and publications, it was reported that the spirit committee has developed a new agency and Good Samaritan School design for the year, and that three billboards will go up — two in Defiance and one in Hicksville — for the agency’s annual awareness campaign.

In other business, the board:

• learned from an Early Intervention representative that 46 individuals are enrolled and 17 enrollments are pending. In August there were 17 referrals and three exits.

• was informed that service support administration caseloads totaled 256 this month with 259 last month.

• was updated on personnel. Two service support administration positions have been filled. Also, a bus driver position has opened.

• heard that since January there have been 40 new referrals for individuals ages 3 and older, with nine found eligible, four ineligible, three terminated for lack of follow through and 22 pending. Also, 22 “major unusual incidents” were reported with four currently open for Defiance County. This compares to 33 at this time last year.

• approved other administrative and personnel matters.