Board of County Commissioners

County Commissioners are the legislative and executive body for county government with taxing, budgeting, appropriating and purchasing authority.  They also hold title to all county property.  Other responsibilities include hearing and ruling on annexations, establishing water and sewer districts, serving on board of revision, records commission and the planning commission as well as appoint all department heads of offices under the Board of County Commissioners and appoint members to a variety of boards and commissions.

The Commissioners:
	are the government taxing, budgeting, appropriating and purchasing authority for county government.
	hold title to county property
	hear and rule on annexations
	approve drainage improvements
	establish water and sewer districts
	appoint members to boards and commissions
	make welfare reform work
	lead the formation of farmland preservation policy formation
	serve on board of revision, county records commission and the planning commission

There are three County Commissioners, two are elected at the presidential election and one at the gubernatorial election.  The organizational meeting of the Commissioners occurs on the second Monday of January each year where one of the members is elected president of the board.  They must hold 50 meetings per year and as many special meetings as necessary to conduct business.

County Commissioners today are key players in bringing new businesses and industries to the community, and keeping established employers from moving away.  This means creating environments favorable for business growth and development -- using tax incentives and infrastructure planning tools more aggressively than ever before.  Welfare reform, with the responsibility it gives the county to move unemployed people into jobs, also has put County Commissioners out front in local employment training and workforce development efforts.

County Commissioners now have the lead responsibility for delivering the bulk of human services that adults and children receive from government, and doing so with limited funding from Columbus and Washington D. C.  In particular, this means making welfare reform work.

Geauga County now must meet state-set benchmarks for moving unemployed residents into jobs.  Welfare reform also means subsidizing child care and health care for recipients, even after they find jobs.  All of this comes in addition to the county's ongoing responsibility for overseeing and funding alcohol, drug abuse and mental health services, enforcing child-support orders, protecting abused and neglected children, and administering food stamps.

Environmental protection measures that affect the everyday lives fall under the responsibility of County Commissioners.  Ensuring safe drinking water and administering sewage treatment plants are also their responsibilities.  In 1988, the county was given lead responsibilities for achieving state solid waste (trash) management goals.  The county also is heavily involved in such diverse efforts as industrial site cleanup and consumer recycling.