Auglaize County, Ohio

Infobox U.S. County
county = Auglaize County
state = Ohio
founded = February 14, 1848cite web|url = http://www.odod.state.oh.us/research/FILES/S0/Auglaize.pdf |title = Ohio County Profiles: Auglaize County |accessdate = 2007-04-28 |publisher = Ohio Department of Development | format = PDF]
seat wl = Wapakoneta
largest city = Wapakoneta
area_total_sq_mi =402
area_land_sq_mi =401
area_water_sq_mi =0
area percentage = 0.12%
census yr = 2000
pop = 46611
density_km2 =45
time zone = Eastern
UTC offset = -5
DST offset= -4| web = www.auglaizecounty.org
|

Auglaize County (IPAEng|ɔːg’leɪz) is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States with a population of 46,611 as of the 2000 U.S. census. It is included in the Wapakoneta, Ohio Micropolitan Statistical Area. Its county seat is WapakonetaGR|6.

The county is named for the Auglaize River. Some sources say it is a corruption of the French description of the clay "(glaise)" water "(eau)" [ [http://www.auglaizecounty.org/Engineer/County%20map.htm Auglaize County, Ohio 2006 Highway Map] Auglaize County Engineer's Office, 2006. Accessed 15 July 2007.] while others say it comes from a Native American word meaning "fallen timbers".cite web|url = http://www.osuedc.org/profiles/profile_entrance.php?fips=39011&sid=0 |title = Auglaize County data |accessdate = 2007-04-28 |publisher = Ohio State University Extension Data Center ]

Government

Current officials

*Board of Commissioners:
**John Bergman (R)
**Ivo Kramer (R)
**Doug Spencer (R)
*Clerk of Courts: Sue Ellen Kohler (R)
*Sheriff: Al Solomon (D)
*County Auditor: Janet Schuler (D)
*County Coroner: Thomas R. Freytag (R)
*County Engineer: Douglas P. Rinehart (R)
*County Prosecutor: Edwin Pierce (R)
*County Recorder: Ann Billings (R)
*County Treasurer: April Bowersock (R)

Judiciary

Courthouse

The county's first courthouse, built in 1851 at a cost of $11,499.00, was in use until 1894, when the current Courthouse first opened to the public. Occupying an entire city block, the Courthouse and its adjacent powerhouse cost the then-princely sum of $259,481.00 and occupied 85 men for 18 months in its construction, commencing on July 2, 1893. Built of Berea sandstone with tile floors, the Courthouse was highly fire-resistant. The boilers for heating and power generation, a significant cause of fire at the time, were located in a separate powerhouse, along with the steam-driven dynamos that produced the electricity which, along with steam for heating and hot water, was fed to the building via an underground conduit. The Courthouse marked its centennial in 1994, and continues in its role as seat of the county's courts, [ [http://www.auglaizecounty.org/History.htm History of the Auglaize County Courthouse] , Auglaize County official site.] along with the much newer West Municipal Court in St. Mary's. [http://www.auglaizecounty.org/index.htm Auglaize County] official site.]

Judges

Three elected judges sit in Auglaize County:
*Judge Frederick D. Pepple presides over the Common Pleas Court [http://www.auglaizecounty.org/Common_Pleas_Court/index.htm Common Pleas Court of Auglaize County] official site.]
*Judge Mark E. Spees presides over the Probate, [http://www.auglaizecounty.org/Probate_Court/Index.htm Probate Court of Auglaize County] official site.] Domestic Relations, [http://www.auglaizecounty.org/Domestic_Court/Index.htm Domestic Relations Court of Auglaize County] official site.] and Juvenile [http://www.auglaizecounty.org/Juvenile_Court/Index.htm Juvenile Court of Auglaize County] official site.] Courts
*Judge Gary W. Herman presides over the County Municipal Court [http://www.auglaizecounty.org/Municipal_Court/Index.htm Municipal Court of Auglaize County] official site.]

Courts

*The Court of Common Pleas handles the bulk of the county's caseload, including all felony criminal cases, and civil cases of all kinds involving claims typically in excess of $15,000 or claims for injunctive relief, as well as appeals from state agencies.
*The Probate Court handles estates, adoptions, legal guardianships, name changes, mental illnesses, approves minor personal injury settlement claims, approves wrongful death settlements, and issues marriage licenses. Additionally, the Court keeps all vital statistics records prior to 1908.
*The Domestic Relations Court oversees all divorces, dissolutions of marriage, civil domestic protective orders, post divorce decree motions, modifications of parental rights and responsibilities, modifications of child support and visitation arrangements, and contempt actions.
*The Juvenile Court handles all juvenile complaints dealing with delinquent and unruly children, juvenile traffic offenders, dependent, neglected and abused children, parentage cases and custody cases.
*The Municipal Court sits in both Wapakoneta and St. Marys and hears misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic cases, civil claims less than $15,000, and cases involving violations of the municipal codes.

Related entities

*The elected clerk of courts, Sue Ellen Kohler, directs the staffing, recordkeeping, and administration of all the county courts, as well as registering vehicle titles. [http://www.auglaizecounty.org/Clerk_of_Courts/Index.htm Auglaize County Clerk of Courts] official site.] The Clerk of Courts also issues writs to carry out court orders. Some of these writs include summons, subpoenas, warrants to arrest and to convey to penal institutions, and signing the death warrant in capital cases. A clerk of courts also accepts bonds, calls juries & grand juries, certifies the commissions of notaries public, administers oaths, and files judgment and state tax liens. [http://www.auglaizecounty.org/Clerk_of_Courts/History.htm History of the Auglaize County Clerk of Courts] official site.]
*The county's law library provides legal reference services to the judges and attorneys of the county. [http://www.auglaizecounty.org/Law_Library/Index.htm Law Library of Auglaize County] official site.]
*The county prosecuting attorney, Edwin A. Pierce, and his staff prosecute all felony offenses, along with all misdemeanor, criminal and traffic offenses in violation of the Ohio Revised Code. The prosecutor also participates in the presentation of cases of delinquency, unruly, juvenile traffic offenses, and abuse, neglect and dependency offenses involving juveniles in the Juvenile Court. Additionally, the prosecutor serves as the legal advisor to county elected officials and departments. [http://www.auglaizecounty.org/Prosecutor/Index.htm Auglaize County Prosecutor] official site.]
*S. Mark Weller, the county's public defender is responsible for providing legal representation to indigent persons facing criminal charges within the county court system. [http://www.auglaizecounty.org/Public_Defender/Index.htm Auglaize County Public Defender] official site.]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 402 square miles (1,040 km²).401 square miles (1,039 km²) of it is land and 0 square miles (1 km²) of it (0.12%) is water.

The county is crossed by the Auglaize River and the Miami and Erie Canal. The headwaters of the Saint Marys River, the Great Miami River and the Scioto River as well as portions of Grand Lake St. Marys and Lake Loramie are located within the county. [DeLorme. "Ohio Atlas & Gazetteer". 7th ed. Yarmouth: DeLorme, 2004, p. 45. ISBN 0-89933-281-1.]

Adjacent counties

Canadian City Geographic Location (8-way)
North=Allen County
West=Mercer County
Center=Auglaize County
East=Hardin County
South=Shelby County
Northwest=Van Wert County
Northeast=
Southwest=Darke County
Southeast=Logan County

Demographics

Unincorporated communities

ee also

*Ohio county government

References

*Auglaize County Engineer's Office. "Official Highway Map 2004". Wapakoneta, Ohio: The Office, 2004.

External links

* [http://www.auglaizecounty.org/ Official Auglaize County website]
* [http://www.auglaizecountyhistory.org/ Auglaize County Historical Society]
* [http://www.seemore.org/ Auglaize and Mercer County Convention and Visitor's Bureau]

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