OVRDC Full Commission Meeting and Election of Officers Held March 28th
On Friday, March 28, 2025, OVRDC welcomed members and guests to the spring Full Commission Meeting and Election of Officers in Scioto County at the historic Marting’s Building, 515 Chillicothe Street in Downtown Portsmouth. The guest keynote speaker, Sam Sutherland, Portsmouth City Manager, shared the latest development plans from the city’s transformative $32 million dollar Portsmouth Riverfront project, an investment made possible by the Appalachian Community Grant Program. Mr. Sutherland also highlighted projects currently in various construction phases that add up to over $200 million in infrastructure upgrades for the city.
The following slate of officers approved by the Executive Committee and the Nominating Committee were elected by the Full Commission. All newly elected executive, board and committee members will serve a full one-year term beginning on April 1, 2025 and ending on March 30, 2026.
Barry Woodruff (Brown County Commissioner) – Chairman
Luke Feeney (Mayor City of Chillicothe) – Vice Chair
Paul Haller (Jackson County Commissioner) – Treasurer
The Nominating Committee members are Debora Plymail, Adams County (Chair); Bonnie Batchler, Clermont County; Terry Britton, Highland County; Tony Dixon, Pike County; and Randy Evans, Jackson County. The newly elected Executive Committee slate for 2025 was also presented at the March Full Commission Meeting. Copies of the 2024 OVRDC Annual Report and the 2024 LDD Impact Return on Investment report were available to attendees. Over 100 members and guests attended. The next Full Commission Meeting will be held in September in Vinton County.
Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission (OVRDC) is a public regional planning commission that coordinates federal, state, and local funding resources to encourage community and economic development in the twelve southern Ohio counties of Adams, Brown, Clermont, Fayette, Gallia, Highland, Jackson, Lawrence, Pike, Ross, Scioto and Vinton. OVRDC is governed by a Full Commission of 167 officials who meet semi-annually.
Members include representatives of county and local governments, non-profit organizations, minority community, and the private sector. Routine oversight of the OVRDC is provided by an Executive Committee with representation from all twelve OVRDC counties; cities in the region; and members of the business, development, and minority communities. OVRDC receives financial support from a combination of federal and state grants and local service contracts. Member counties also pay annual fees to OVRDC, with contributions based on each county’s population.
Established in 1967, OVRDC serves as a Local Development District (LDD) for the Appalachian Regional Commission, an Economic Development District (EDD) for the Economic Development Administration, and a Regional Transportation Planning Organization (RTPO) for the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT).
For more information or to receive copies of the annual reports, please contact Shannon Nichols, email snichols@ovrdc.org, or call (740) 946-2853.
