History of Clark County

The creation of Clark County, named for the frontiersman George Rogers Clark, was the most bitterly contested of any of the early counties of Ohio. The stated and nominal objection was that the territory proposed did not fill the constitutional requirements of 400 square miles. The real trouble seems to have been personal dislike and jealousy between the leading citizens in Green and the proposed County of Clark. Perhaps the Governors of Ohio participated, in one way or another, in passing the Clark County bill than in erecting any other county in the State. On December 25^th 1817 the bill was signed and Clark County was finally born. When the news of the passage reached Springfield, the citizens assembled at the local tavern celebrated the occasion by, “burning of tar barrels in the street, and free use of apple toddy and other accompaniments belonging to a great jollification of that day.” For more than four years after the Clark County Court held regular sessions in the same tavern. After several delays and litigation a courthouse was finally opened in the summer of 1828 when the tower bell sounded its first notes. The need for a jail must have outweighed the need for a court as in 1818 the first log and plank Clark County Jail opened. They used to keep a black bear chained in front of the building. We would like to think we have made some progress since then!

One structure that impacted the growth and prosperity of Clark County was the National Road, formerly known for some time, as the Cumberland Road due to its eastern terminus at Cumberland, Md. The opening of this road was a prominent event in the history of the entire Northwest Territory, and especially so, in the counties and towns through which it passed.

As time past Clark County attracted various industrial enterprises and for it’s more recent early years was fortunate to attract the Crowell-Collier publishing facility, which was, for a time, the largest employer. Later, International Harvester maintained and still does, a truck assembly plant in the County. Lately technical enterprises such as Lexus Nexus have begun to migrate to our industrial parks. Fortis / Assurant Group, Gordon Food Service, and Dole Enterprises are other examples of the varied employers moving into our region. Clark County continues to progress and grow and the Clark County Sheriff's Office, in our venture into National Accreditation, is dedicated to move forward with that growth to provide a safe and welcoming environment in which all citizens can prosper and succeed.

Schools

Clark County is divided into six districts, Clark-Shawnee, Greenon Local, Northwestern, Northeastern, and Tecumseh with approximately 14,600 students enrolled. The City of Springfield has two districts, Springfield North and Springfield South. Recently a movement to combine the two schools was successful and the process of blending these institutions is under way with the construction of a new facility.

The County Government

The three-member Board of County Commissioners (the Board), elected at large in even-numbered years for the four-year overlapping terms, is the legislative and executive body of the County.

The general responsibilities of the Board are centered in the areas of financial management, management of most County facilities, and personnel administration. The Board is responsible for providing and managing the moneys used to support most County activities. In providing this financial management, the Board exercises its legislative powers in budgeting, appropriating moneys, levying taxes, issuing bonds and notes, and letting contracts for public works and services. The Board also has a myriad of other responsibilities including hearing and ruling on annexations, approving drainage improvements through the petition ditch process, establishing water and sewer districts and making improvements, and providing for solid waste disposal.

Members of the Board must also be astute and have good business sense. Perhaps the most important attribute of a county commissioner is the ability to lead, to listen to the needs of the citizens and other elected officials, to compromise, and to develop a consensus on priority issues to improve the county.

The County Administrator is the Chief Administrative Officer of the County and serves at the pleasure of the Board. He lead the administration, enforcement and execution of the policies and resolutions of the Board. More specifically, the Administrator supervises and directs the activities of the divisions of the County government under the Board's jurisdiction; advises the Board on the financial condition of the County, and prepares and submits the County's fiscal year budgets to the Board; and performs many other duties assigned by the Board, pursuant to the provisions of Sec. 305.30 of the Ohio Revised Code. The Administrator also serves as Chief Executive for the purpose of executing all contracts authorized by the Board.