Warren County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday, Sept. 1, to reimburse a Deerfield Township homeowner up to $16,287 for damage caused by a water main break on Rose Road.

Susan McDaniel, who owns the property at 2520 Rose Road, will receive up to that amount to cover repair costs her homeowner's insurance did not. The break occurred Sept. 26, 2025, and damaged her property. State Farm processed McDaniel's claim and reimbursed a portion of the costs, but up to $16,287 remained, according to Resolution 26-1171.

McDaniel asked the county to cover the gap. She cited financial hardship.

The county had first sought coverage through CORSA, its insurance carrier. CORSA denied the claim, determining that without negligence on the county's part, it had no legal liability for the damage. The resolution states the county chose to pay anyway "due to specific circumstances surrounding this matter" but does not explain what those circumstances are.

Commissioner Tom Grossmann moved to approve the reimbursement. Commissioner David Young seconded. All three commissioners — Grossmann, Young and Board President Shannon Jones — voted yes. The resolution was copied to the county's Water and Sewer Department, the division responsible for the infrastructure.

As we reported Aug. 29, the board had been weighing a reimbursement for the Rose Road damage ahead of the vote. The resolution authorized up to $16,287, the remaining balance after State Farm's partial payout, but does not disclose the total repair cost or the amount State Farm covered.

The resolution also does not address whether the county plans a broader policy for handling future water-main damage claims. No public comments from the commissioners explaining their reasoning were available as of publication.

At the same session, commissioners cancelled their Sept. 8 and Sept. 10 meetings. They also rescheduled the Sept. 15 meeting from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Residents who plan to attend that meeting should note the later start time. Agendas are posted on the Warren County commissioners' website.