County Services
The Defiance County Environmental and Administrative Services Office came into existence in 1983 when a $30,000 grant was written and funded by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Litter Control.
Currently the Environmental and Administrative Services Office is tasked with implementing the county’s environmental program which is awareness, collection and educational/promotional efforts to keep the citizens of Defiance County informed relative to their waste disposal methods and protect our environment. The goal is to utilize the various waste management option. These consist of recycling, incineration, composting and landfilling. The county’s program implements the elements that are detailed in the Joint Four County Solid Waste Management District’s waste management plan. The four county solid waste District is comprised of Defiance, Fulton, Paulding and Williams’s counties and is legally required by state law to implement programs that divert waste from landfills.
The Department of Environmental and Administrative Services for Defiance County, operates recycling drop off collection station eight days a month. These stations are located with 6 miles of every citizen within the county. The program does roadside collection, collecting litter and trash from the 900+ miles of roadway within the borders of Defiance County.
The County’s environmental program conducts awareness through program presentations by providing speakers to public service organizations, by conducting advertising campaigns and by implementing an in-school classroom education program. The educational element of the program focuses on students in the Kindergarten, Second and Fourth Grades. Over 1000 students a year participate in this program event.
The Environmental Program’s success is monitored by the Solid Waste District’s office. The District Office is charged with documenting and tracking the waste stream that is generated within the borders of Defiance County in conjunction with the other three counties of the District. The District as a whole exceeds the Stat’s recycling goals. Defiance County Environmental Services program is a successful partner with the District and has been for many years.
The Environmental Services Office is also tasked with snow removal of County Building’s sidewalks and parking lots and lawn mowing of county properties and with assisting public office with labor such as moving of desks, filing cabinets, etc. Should you need assistance please do not hesitate to call (419) 782-5442.
Our staff implements the programs with enthusiasm and energy that indicates a can-do spirit. Our public work crew supervisor is Barry Hoagland. The clerical staff: Susan Herr, Lynn Bishop, Deb Centers and Beth Landskroener provide outstanding support relative to the required myriad number of reports that must be maintained and monitored. The office is managed and operated by Warren Schlatter, Director and June Crosser, Assistant Director.
ROAD SIDE LITTER
The Defiance County Environmental & Administrative Services assists the public with litter control. Our office attempts to pick up every road in Defiance County, per year, at least once. Defiance County has an approximate mileage total of 913 miles. There are 152 State Roads, 326 County Roads and 435 Township Roads, that is a lot of miles of litter control! A Public Works Supervisor will oversee a crew of CCNO trustees to assure all litter gets pickup up.
ILLEGAL DUMPING
In addition to the miles of litter picked up throughout Defiance County, the Environmental & Administrative Services offers assistance to the public when illegal dumping has occurred. We have received numerous calls regarding appliances, sofa’s, bags of clothing, just dumped along a road. We record the information and send a crew to pick up the ‘dumped’ items. Many of the reported ‘dumping locations’ have been called into the Sheriff’s Office. The Public Works Crew Supervisor diligently looks for identifying litter items to bring to the Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s office may use those items to issue a citation to the party involved. Dumping is illegal.
MOWING
The Defiance County Commissioners save money by having the estimated 27 acres of ‘lawns’ at county facilities mowed by county department Environmental & Administrative Services – versus contracting the mowing out. Environmental Services is assigned to mow the Defiance County Courthouse, Annex, Key Bank, Evergreen Lanes and Senior Center to residential standards (not to exceed six inches of growth) on a weekly basis. Defiance County Maintenance assists Environmental Services in maintaining the Defiance County East facility, the Sheriff’s Office and Sarah’s House to residential standards.
In addition Environmental Services also mows the Hicksville Transfer Station, Dey Road Bridge Park, Mark Center Park, Sauer Avenue (old county garage area) and sewer plants: Auglaize Pines Sewer (Power Dam), Hicksville Sewer (Gordon Creek addition), Evansport Sewer and Evergreen Lanes Sewer. Environmental Services also maintains the mowing contract for the Defiance County Airport.
SNOW REMOVAL
Keeping sidewalks and parking lots cleared of snow and ice is a big job. The Commissioners depend on Defiance County Environmental & Administrative Services to coordinate resources to get the job done. This includes the Courthouse, Annex, Commissioners building, Defiance County East, Evergreen Lanes Office Complex, Senior Center, Humane Shelter, Sheriff’s Office, and Sarah’s House and shared responsibilities with the City for the County/City parking lot and Biede Avenue.
A Public Works Crew Supervisor with a crew of CCNO trustees start in the wee hours of the morning to begin shoveling, salting or sanding the required areas. The Defiance County Landfill also participates in snow removal, plowing and salting county lots.
Resources include Soil & Water, Defiance County Maintenance, & County Engineering; Jeff Timbrook’s crew who loads our salt truck in the midst of their busy schedule of plowing and salting all County Roads!
It is a coordinated effort to get the main walkways cleared before 8:00am. The Public Work Crew Supervisor works to get each of the 45 designated handicap spaces cleared, paths established from the parking at 1st street to the Commissioners parking lot, War Memorial cleared, Hopkins Street Bridge cleared and then recheck, and readdress all areas as needed.
Although every effort is made to remove the snow and ice, it is inevitable that people will need to walk on some snow and ice. It is recommended that boots or shoes with a grip or flat sole (no heels) be worn during the inclement weather. Think safety first.
All of the mentioned resources make an outstanding effort to provide a cleared walk way for employees and citizens to go into County facilities. If you have any concerns or problems, please call Environmental Services at 419-782-5442.
LABOR & CONTAINMENT
Environmental & Administrative Services also provides assistance with the setup and tear down of the Defiance County Fair and a variety of county projects. We will provide barrels for garbage and recycling containers (bottles and/or cans) for community events such as homecomings, car shows, and fund raisers. We are here to serve the public and if we can help you in any way, please call us at (419) 782-5442.