- During a Washington County Commission meeting Thursday morning, Commissioner Kevin Ritter, right, talks about an 1899 diary of former Commissioner John Randolph that was donated to the commission, as Commissioner Charlie Schilling, left, watches. The county is now displaying copies of some of the pages of the diary in the County Commission’s meeting room. (Photo by Michelle Dillon)
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- Pictured is a page from the 1899 diary of John Randolph, a former Washington County Commissioner. Copies of some pages of the diary are now being displayed in the County Commission’s meeting room. (Photo Provided)
During a Washington County Commission meeting Thursday morning, Commissioner Kevin Ritter, right, talks about an 1899 diary of former Commissioner John Randolph that was donated to the commission, as Commissioner Charlie Schilling, left, watches. The county is now displaying copies of some of the pages of the diary in the County Commission’s meeting room. (Photo by Michelle Dillon)
MARIETTA — Washington County is displaying a piece of its history in the Washington County Commission meeting room.
During a commission meeting Thursday, Commissioner Kevin Ritter announced there is a new addition to the commission meeting room.
According to Ritter, hanging on the wall are copies of pages of an 1899 diary of former Washington County Commissioner John Randolph.
Ritter said he was contacted by the granddaughter of Randolph and she told him she had the diary and asked him if he wanted it to display.
The information on display includes copies of three diary pages, information concerning the current Washington County Courthouse and Randolph’s involvement with it, and an October 14,1893, article from The Marietta Leader about Randolph when he ran for Washington County Commission.
Pictured is a page from the 1899 diary of John Randolph, a former Washington County Commissioner. Copies of some pages of the diary are now being displayed in the County Commission’s meeting room. (Photo Provided)
According to the information, Randolph was one of the Washington County Commissioners when the current Washington County Courthouse was built in 1901 and his name is listed on the courthouse’s cornerstone.
“From childhood up to the time he was nineteen years of age his life was spent on the farm … Since his young manhood, Mr. Randolph has devoted most of his attention to building and has done considerable contract work for the county, always doing the work with honor to himself,” the newspaper article said about Randolph and his career as a builder.
Ritter was pleased with Randolph’s family giving his diary to be displayed.
“We appreciate the family sending that to us,” Ritter said of the diary.
Commissioner Charlie Schilling agreed with Ritter saying, “That is very nice.”
Commissioner James Booth was also happy with the diary being on display.
“Commissioner (Ritter), I really appreciate you taking the helm on that … that’s history and our history definitely has to be preserved,” Booth said.
For questions regarding the Randolph diary or the display, contact the Washington County Commission at 740-373-6623 ext. 2011
Other items addressed at the meeting include:
* Approved paying bills totaling $1,185,846.22
* Additional appropriations of $3,000 to engineer funds for unemployment, $1,750 to sewer funds for uniforms, $21,151.37 to various purpose bonds fund because the debt tied to the fund has been fully paid.
* Transfers of $15,000 from contract services for the sewer department to a fund for operation and maintenance of State Route 60.
* Approved two Now and Then items, which are purchase orders that are more than $100.
* Approved the monthly Washington County Jail Report for April
* Approved an amended grant agreement with the Washington County Health Department that extends agreement through December 2025.
* Approved an agreement to house Monroe County prisoners at the Washington County Jail at the cost of $100 per prisoner per day.
* Approved a contract between the Washington County Department of Jobs and Family Services and EMAR for the repair of the DFJS elevator.
* Approved an invitation to bid for non-emergency transport for Medicaid for DJFS.
* Approved an agreement with Foundant Technologies for the company to provide grant software for Washington County’s grant department at a cost of $2,988 a year.
* Approved a letter of support for House Bill 469 and the creation of the Ohio River Commission of Ohio (ORCO). According to the bill, HB 469 seeks to create the ORCO as an independent state agency within the department of development to develop and promote economic development, marine cargo terminal operations and travel and tourism on the Ohio river and its tributaries.
* Approved handling a sanitary engineer pump project for Devola by using a method called Construction Management At Risk (CMAR). According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s website, CMAR is when a construction firm or construction manager is hired early in the design and planning process of a project where later the firm or manager will oversee the project’s construction and the construction manager advises the design firm during the project’s design and planning phases and often acts as the general contractor during the construction phase to select, schedule and sequence subcontractors to complete the required construction work.
Michelle Dillon can be reached at mdillon@newsandsentinel.com
