Defiance County has a new maintenance supervisor. Commissioners passed a resolution at their Thursday meeting appointing Torrence Smith to the post, according to the county commissioners office. His start date is Oct. 5.
The position pays $34.50 per hour. At 40 hours a week, that equals $71,760 a year.
Smith's background includes work at the Campbell's Soup Company plant in Napoleon, where the commissioners office said he served as maintenance supervisor and manufacturing operations supervisor. He also is an associate deputy with the Defiance County Sheriff's Office.
Smith takes over from Ron Cereghin, who will leave Oct. 30 after many years with the county. Commissioners earlier this month approved a resolution accepting Cereghin's retirement. According to the commissioners office, Cereghin retired a decade ago and was rehired, spending 23 1/2 years total with the county after 18 years with the City of Defiance.
In other action Thursday, commissioners set up a fund for a $50,000 land use planning grant the county received from the Ohio Department of Agriculture. The money was advanced from the general fund and will be restored once the grant arrives, the commissioners office said. The ODA website describes the program's goals as including farmland preservation tied to economic vitality and water quality, coordinated planning that prioritizes agricultural viability, collaboration among local governments, farmers and trusts, alignment of local, regional and state efforts, and support for planning that preserves farmland.