Ohio § 2301.55

§ 2301.55.

(A)(1) Upon the advice of the judicial advisory board, the facility governing board of a

community-based correctional facility and program or district community-based correctional

facility and program shall appoint a director who, or enter into a contract with a

nonprofit or private entity that, shall control, manage, operate, and have general

charge of the facility and program and shall have custody of its property, files,

and records.  When a facility governing board, upon the advice of the judicial advisory board,

enters into a contract for the management, operation, and control of a facility and

program, an agreement that includes, at a minimum, terms and conditions established

by the department of rehabilitation and correction shall be in effect with the chosen

contractor.  When a facility governing board, upon the advice of the judicial advisory board,

appoints a director, the facility governing board shall fix or approve the compensation

of the director of the facility and program and other professional, technical, and

clerical employees who are necessary to properly maintain and operate the facility

and program. (2) All of the following shall be considered to be public officials or employees for

purposes of Chapter 102. of the Revised Code and public officials or public servants

for purposes of Chapter 2921. of the Revised Code and to be within the authority of

the Ohio ethics commission: (a) The director and employees of a community-based correctional facility and program

or district community-based correctional facility and program appointed by its facility

governing board under division (A)(1) of this section; (b) Any individual serving as director or in a substantially equivalent capacity to director

pursuant to a contract between a nonprofit or private entity and a facility governing

board entered into under division (A)(1) of this section, in connection with the performance

of any duties of the director under the contract; (c) Each trustee or member of the facility governing board; (d) Each officer or board member of a nonprofit or private entity with which a facility

governing board contracts under division (A)(1) of this section, in connection with

the performance of any duties of the officer or board member under the contract, except

that each officer or board member who serves solely as an officer or board member

and who does not serve the facility and program as director or in a substantially

equivalent capacity to director shall not be required to file a disclosure statement

with the Ohio ethics commission under section 102.02 of the Revised Code . (3) Nothing in Chapters 102. and 2921. of the Revised Code shall prohibit a board member

of a nonprofit or private entity with which a facility governing board contracts under

division (A)(1) of this section, who is not serving the facility and program as director

or in a substantially equivalent capacity to director, from also being a shareholder,

director, or employee of, or otherwise from having a financial interest in, a nonprofit

or private entity that contracts under division (A)(1) of this section or from being

a shareholder, director, officer, or employee of, or otherwise from having a financial

interest in, a private entity that contracts to sell goods or services to a nonprofit

or private entity that contracts under division (A)(1) of this section. (4) Nothing in Chapters 102. and 2921. of the Revised Code shall prohibit an officer

of a nonprofit or private entity with which a facility governing board contracts under

division (A)(1) of this section from: (a) Having an interest in the profits or benefits of the contract awarded by a facility

governing board under division (A)(1) of this section; (b) Participating in negotiations for the renewal or extension of an existing contract

awarded under division (A)(1) of this section;  or (c) Negotiating a new contract on behalf of that entity with a facility governing board

under division (A)(1) of this section. (5)(a) Nothing in this section shall be construed to mean that a nonprofit or private entity

with which a facility governing board contracts under division (A)(1) of this section

is a public agency as defined in division (C) of section 102.01 of the Revised Code , a public body as defined in division (B)(1) of section 121.22 of the Revised Code , a political subdivision, public employer, or public office, or otherwise a public

entity. (b) Nothing in division (A)(5)(a) of this section shall be construed to prohibit the

auditor of state from conducting audits, as provided in division (D)(1) of section 2301.56 of the Revised Code , of a nonprofit or private entity performing the day-to-day operation of a community-based

correctional facility and program or district community-based correctional facility

and program pursuant to a contract under division (A)(1) of this section. (B) The facility governing board may enter into contracts with the board of county commissioners

of the county in which the facility and program is located or, in the case of a district

facility and program, with the county commissioners of any county included in the

district, whereby the county is to provide buildings, goods, and services to the facility

and program. (C) The facility governing board, upon the advice of the judicial advisory board, shall

adopt rules for the commitment or admission pursuant to law of persons to, and the

operation of, the facility and program.  The rules shall provide procedures that conform to sections 2301.51 to 2301.58 , 5120.10 , 5120.111 , and 5120.112 of the Revised Code . (D) A facility governing board that establishes one or more community-based correctional

facilities and programs or district community-based correctional facilities and programs

may accept any gift, donation, devise, or bequest of real or personal property made

to it by any person, or any grant or appropriation made to it by any federal, state,

or local governmental unit or agency, and use the gift, donation, devise, bequest,

grant, or appropriation in any manner that is consistent with any conditions of the

gift, donation, devise, bequest, grant, or appropriation and that it considers to

be in the interests of the facility and program.  The facility governing board may sell, lease, convey, or otherwise transfer any

real or personal property that it accepts pursuant to this division following the

procedures specified in sections 307.09 , 307.10 , and 307.12 of the Revised Code . (E) A facility governing board of a community-based correctional facility and program

or district community-based correctional facility and program may purchase liability

insurance to cover members of the facility governing board, the judicial advisory

board, and the community-based correctional facility employees or district community-based

correctional facility employees when engaged in the performance of their duties. (F)(1) A facility governing board of a community-based correctional facility and program

or district community-based correctional facility and program may contract for legal

services for the facility governing board, the judicial advisory board, and the community-based

correctional facility employees or district community-based correctional facility

employees when engaged in the performance of their duties.  Except as otherwise provided in division (F)(2) of this section, in the absence

of a contract for legal services, the prosecuting attorney of the county in which

a community-based correctional facility and program is located or the prosecuting

attorney of any county in which a district community-based correctional facility and

program is located shall provide legal services to the facility governing board, the

judicial advisory board, and the community-based correctional facility employees or

district community-based correctional facility employees when engaged in the performance

of their duties.  The prosecuting attorney shall be reasonably reimbursed for these legal services. (2) Nothing in division (F)(1) of this section obligates a prosecuting attorney to provide

legal services to a nonprofit or private entity that has entered into a contract with

a facility governing board to manage, operate, and control a community-based correctional

facility and program or a district community-based correctional facility and program,

or to provide legal services to the employees of any such entity. (G)(1) A facility governing board of a community-based correctional facility and program

or a district community-based correctional facility and program may contract with

a fiscal agent that shall be responsible for the deposit of funds and compliance with division (D)(1) of section 2301.56 of the Revised Code .  Except as otherwise provided in division (G)(2) of this section, in the absence

of a contract for a fiscal agent, the county auditor of the county in which a community-based

correctional facility and program is located or the county auditor of any county in

which a district community-based correctional facility and program is located shall

provide fiscal services to the facility governing board.  The county auditor shall be reasonably reimbursed for these fiscal services. (2) Nothing in division (G)(1) of this section obligates a county auditor to provide

fiscal services to a nonprofit or private entity that has entered into a contract

with a facility governing board to manage, operate, and control a community-based

correctional facility and program or a district community-based correctional facility

and program.