The Findlay City Council’s annual budget hearing was held last night.  Approximately $10.4 million will carry forward into 2016 which led to mostly personnel discussions.  The Findlay Police Department may add three officers next year bringing the total number of officers to 65.  The fire, street and zoning departments also look to be able to increase staff next year, as well.

A Hancock County jury unanimously voted Thursday to convict Kevin J. Potts of McComb of attacking an off-duty corrections officer inside his Arlington residence.  Potts was charged with aggravated burglary and felonious assault.  Potts broke into the home of John Shepard on June 25 while carrying a 9mm Glock handgun and a 6-inch hunting knife.  He will be sentenced on January 21.
 

The Local Government Innovation Fund has awarded North Central Ohio Educational Service Center in cooperation with the North Central Ohio Regional Council of Governments a $500,000 loan for the construction of a compressed natural gas station in Seneca County.  The zero-percent interest loan would be for 13 years.  Governments, schools, local businesses and individuals would have access to the station to fuel CNG vehicles, noting that purchasing CNG in bulk would be less expensive for service center.

The Wood County Park District board has approved a plan to grant pay raises to employees whose salaries now fall below minimums set by a consultant and previously accepted by the board…The move implements a salary plan approved in October after an extended study by The Archer Company which also manages salary schedules and position descriptions for departments under the Wood County commissioners.  Employees who are below minimum salaries as stipulated in Archer's evaluation will be given raises to get them to those levels, half to be given on April 1 and the remainder on July 1.