By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
The State of Wood County Address last month boasted several successes with notable numbers for 2022. The record-setting sales tax revenue. The millions of dollars in economic development. The thousands of jobs being created.
The report painted a rosy picture of the year ahead for Wood County.
The county commissioners and the recently released annual report for the county include many more numbers – some perhaps not as impressive, but potentially interesting nonetheless.
In the “Wow, that’s a lot of money” category for 2022 are the county’s:
- $28.5 million in sales tax receipts.
- $1.9 million in casino tax receipts.
- $240 million in real estate taxes collected by the Wood County Treasurer’s Office.
- $1.3 million collected through investments by the treasurer’s office.
- 76,680 parcels of real property assessed, valued at over $3.4 billion, according to Wood County Auditor’s Office.
- $5.3 million brought in by motor vehicle license fees, and $3.7 million through gas taxes, to the Wood County Engineer’s Office.
In the crime, crashes and courts categories are the following numbers for last year:
- 40,946 calls were placed to 911 at the sheriff’s office.
- 840 crashes were investigated by the sheriff’s office.
- 159 sex offenders registered with the Wood County Sheriff’s Office.
- 969 reports of child abuse and neglect were investigated last year.
- 105 child support warrants were served.
- 39 inmates were extradited from out of state.
- 938 traffic citations were issued by the sheriff’s office, while 3,356 traffic warnings were issued.
- 74 trucks were stopped for weight violations, with 73 being cited.
- 1.4 million miles were driven last year by all the sheriff’s vehicles combined.
- 2,603 inmates were booked into the county jail.
- 59 domestic violence arrests were made by the sheriff’s office.
- 7 times the Special Response/Crisis Negotiation Team was called out.
- 558 criminal cases and 633 civil cases were filed with the Wood County Clerk of Courts Office. Other stats include filing of 155 domestic violence civil protection orders, 5 dating violence civil protection orders, 154 civil stalking/sexually oriented offense protection orders, 50 land foreclosure cases, 30 mobile home foreclosure cases,145 search warrants.
- 1,384 cases completed by the Wood County Court of Common Pleas.
- 2,500 clients were represented last year by the public defender’s office.
- 3,370 drug tests completed by Adult Probation, which had 1,157 offenders on probation last year.
- 802 cases of juvenile delinquency were handled by the prosecutor’s office.
- 78 referrals were made to the Addiction Response Collaborative in the prosecutor’s office.
More along the “Huh, who would have thought?” category are the following statistics from last year:
- 474 concealed carry weapon permits issued, while 1,106 were renewed, 19 were denied and 3 were revoked.
- 668 marriage applications filed last year.
- 8,056 veterans reside in Wood County.
- 314,801 acres of farmland enrolled in the Current Agricultural Use Value (CAUV) program.
- 100 years of space will be available at the Wood County Landfill once the expansion is complete.
- 1,107 people were fingerprinted for background checks at the sheriff’s office.
- 92,203 people were checked when entering the courthouse complex; 52,431 packages scanned, and 1,041 prohibited items held.
- 93,282 registered voters in the county. Voter participation in 2022 was 19% in the May election, 8.6% in the August election, and 53% in the November election.
- 276 deaths reviewed by the county coroner last year, including 28 natural causes, 17 suicides, 17 drug accidents, 14 other accidents and 9 auto accidents.
- 244 miles of roadway, 437 bridges, more than 2,500 culverts and 3,725 traffic signs were under the responsibility of the Wood County Engineer’s Office. The office is also charged with maintaining 668 miles of streams and ditches.
- 5,301 permits issued by the Wood County Building Inspection Office last year.
- 5,258 children served by the Wood County Child Support Enforcement Agency.
- 2,049 children served by Wood County Children’s Services, with 36 placed in substitute care.
- 361 dogs were taken in at the county dog shelter – with 155 redeemed by their owners, 114 adopted by new owners, 52 transferred to rescue organizations, 13 euthanized, 18 owners surrendered for euthanization, and two deceased.
- 7,049 people visited the Wood County Museum and grounds last year.
- 9,089 cubic feet of records are stored at the county’s Records Center, 400,400 pages have been scanned on microfilm, 626 cubic feet are eligible for disposal, and 28,887 pounds of records were shredded and recycled.
- 1,496 gas pumps and 582 commercial scales inspected by the county auditor’s office.
- 17,689 dog licenses sold.
- 66,829 auto titles, duplicates and memo titles processed, while 1,470 boat titles, duplicates and memo titles processed.
