JERSEY COUNTY presents 4-H proclamation

By Editor | September 16, 2025 |

By Steven Spencer

The Jersey County Board presented a proclamation recognizing the week of October 5 to October 11 as National 4-H Week at their regular meeting last Tuesday.
Board member Kara Ontis read the proclamation which recognized the impact 4-H has on students within the community, helping to prepare them for a successful future.
“Whereas this year’s national 4-H theme, Beyond Ready, reminds us that 4-H is building a ready generation in a world of change and equips young people with skills for the future while meeting them where they are today. 4-H is America’s largest youth development organization supporting 6 million youth across the country,” the proclamation read.
The proclamation recognized 4-H for providing young people with experiences to learn by doing and helping them become engaged, successful and independent, as well as connecting young people and adults to their communities while preparing them for work and life.
Encouraging all citizens to recognize 4-H’s significant impact, the proclamation described 4-H’s strong agricultural roots and dedication to empowering youth with important life skills.
“It’s a great program, so I do encourage everybody to go out and support that,” Ontis said.
Chairman Gary Krueger also thanked and recognized the 4-H students at Tuesday’s meeting.
During Tuesday’s meeting, the board also approved a resolution appointing Kayla Turner as the County Code Administrator, and approved creating a Weed Control Committee as well as a Planning Committee.
Chairman Krueger noted that Turner will be probationary while she completes some certifications and added that former administrator Derek Russell will assist and keep the county in compliance during that time.
Krueger said the Weed Control Committee will work with the code office and other committees to address issues with noxious weeds and debris along the highway and county roads.
“We need to come up with some updated codes and ideas,” he said.
The Planning Committee will look at creating a long-term plan for the county owned buildings.
“Whether we’re going to eventually build a new courthouse or build on to our courthouse, we have a lot of deficiencies on a 100-plus-year-old building and every time we spend 50 or 100,000 dollars I wonder if that’s the right thing to do,” Krueger said. “But it is historic so we have got to preserve it. I think we need some help with an architectural firm to help us decide what would be in the best interest of the taxpayers.”
Krueger also noted how having a plan in place will help the county apply for possible grants.
The board also accepted a recommendation from the Personnel/Finance Committee regarding a FOIA officer for the county.
Krueger said few counties the size of Jersey are paying a FOIA officer and all the county departments will need to handle their own FOIA requests.
In other business, the board approved three petitions for aid at Lodi Road, Stagecoach Road and Rosedale Road, approved a preliminary engineering agreement with Cummins Engineering to replace a bridge on Indian Lakes Road, and approved tourism grant applications for Downtown Country Christmas and the Otter Creek Historical Society.
The board is scheduled to meet again on Tuesday, Oct. 14.