Local CEO reappointed to water, sewer district board

A local CEO will continue to serve on the Northwestern Water and Sewer District's Board of Trustees. William Barnhart, president and CEO of the Hancock-Wood Electric Cooperative, North Baltimore, has been reappointed to the board by the district's municipal members. His new term will expire in December 2026. Ten local individuals serve on the district's board and provide operations and policy governance. It consists of three seats appointed by municipalities that are members of the district, three appointed by district member townships, three appointed by the Wood County commissioners and one appointed by the Henry County commissioners. Located at 12560 Middleton Pike, Bowling Green, the water and sewer district is a government entity, established by the Ohio Revised Code. The district began operations in January 1994. It took over management of the McComb water supply in 2016. McComb began receiving water from North Baltimore on Monday. Theresa Pollick, district spokesperson, said the need to change the village's water supply had been discussed for several years. McComb has been drawing its water from a small creek leading to problems with water quality in the village, Pollick said. Once the McComb plant is decommissioned, she said the district will function solely as a water distributor. It also distributes water from Fostoria, Bowling Green, Napoleon, Perrysburg, Toledo and Oregon. The agency operates in five counties. Talks between Findlay administrators and officials from the villages of Arlington and North Baltimore about regionalizing the city's water supply, which date to at least 2019, are now under review by city council. Mayor Christina Muryn said Findlay officials were aware of the change and McComb's water use was already factored into a report given to Findlay City Council in September about a possible agreement with North Baltimore for city water. A meeting of Findlay council's Water and Sewer Committee to discuss the water fund is scheduled for 4 p.m. Thursday at the Findlay Municipal Building, 318 Dorney Plaza. All committee meetings are open to the public, and the meeting will be livestreamed on the city's YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@findlayohio4234. Members of the committee include Randy Greeno, R-at-large, chairman, and councilmen Grant Russel, R-at-large, and Josh Palmer, R-7. EDITOR'S NOTE: The story has been corrected. The Northwestern Water and Sewer District distributes water from Fostoria, Bowling Green, Napoleon, Perrysburg, Toledo and Oregon. An earlier version of the story stated the district provided water to these municipalities.