Human Trafficking Awareness Month recognized in Wayne, Ashland, Holmes counties

Nate Powalie
·2 min read

Wayne County Board of Commissioners

Wednesday, Jan. 11 meeting

KEY ACTION Presented a proclamation recognizing January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month in Wayne, Ashland and Holmes counties.

Gayle Byrne of the Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition representing Wayne, Ashland and Holmes counties, center, receives a proclamation Wednesday recognizing January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month from Commissioners Ron Amstutz, Sue A. Smail and Jonathan Hofstetter. At far left is county Prosecutor Angela Wypasek.
Gayle Byrne of the Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition representing Wayne, Ashland and Holmes counties, center, receives a proclamation Wednesday recognizing January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month from Commissioners Ron Amstutz, Sue A. Smail and Jonathan Hofstetter. At far left is county Prosecutor Angela Wypasek.

DISCUSSION Commissioners Ron Amstutz, Sue A. Smail, and Jonathan Hofstetter gave the proclamation to Gayle Byrne of the Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition representing the three counties. Ohio was fifth in the U.S. in the number of human trafficking victims and cases in 2021, according to Byrne.

"We work with multiple law enforcement agencies in Wayne, Ashland, and Holmes counies to raise awareness on human trafficking," she said.

The organization is hosting an event in the community room at the Wayne County Public Library, 220 W. Liberty St. in Wooster, at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 19, to help raise awareness.

Other action from Wednesday's meeting and sessions on Jan. 3 and 4.

  • Approved appropriations totaling $33.9 million from the county general fund, which has total expected resources of $36.4 million. Sheriff's office operations are the largest chunk of the fund at $7.5 million, which is an almost 9% increase from 2022. Special purpose funds will provide for other services, bringing the total to $182.8 million.

  • Approved an application from the Wayne County engineer for funding to replace the Doylestown Road bridge over Chippewa Creek in Milton Township, with the entire $920,885 cost being funded through the County Engineers Association of Ohio Bridge Formula Program.

  • Agreed to seek bids for various stone, mix materials, and liquid asphalt for the Wayne County Engineer's Office.

  • Agreed to seek a speed limit reduction to 45 mph on Jericho Road in Sugar Creek Township about a half mile west of Zuercher Road, which has a 55 mph speed limit.

  • Certified the 2022 Wayne County highway system mileage at 498.206 miles, which is down by about a half mile due to a couple of annexations in Wooster, including a section of Milltown Road.

UP NEXT Meets at 2 p.m. Jan. 18 in the Wayne County Administration Building second-floor meeting room. Meetings also can be attended virtually via Zoom.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Wayne County commissioners recognize Human Trafficking Awareness Month