From left, Washington County Commissioners James Booth, Charlie Schilling and Kevin Ritter discuss additional funds for the Sheriff’s Office and the County Engineer’s Office during the County Commission meeting Thursday morning.
(Photo by Michelle Dillon)
Washington County Commissioners approved two additional funds for the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the County Engineer’s Office at its Thursday morning County Commission meeting.
Commissioners approved a resolution to move $40,390.58 from the sheriff’s sales tax fund to the sheriff’s continuing professional development fund. The money is from the Ohio Attorney General, according to Commissioner Charlie Schilling, and will be used for training.
Commissioners also approved a resolution to give $10,000 to the sheriff’s office for building repairs. The Sheriff sent a letter to the commissioners, which was included with the commission meeting agenda, stating the money is needed to replace a bad actuator in a card reader on the back door, a sewer line break and to replace a motor in the furnace.
The commission approved a resolution to give the County Engineer’s Office an additional $200,000 so it can purchase a mower. County Engineer Roger Wright said he would be purchasing a mower from Atmax Equipment Company for $232,581.89. He said that it costs more than the traditional tractor with a boom mover attached that the county was using, but with the cost of replacing the tractor tires because of wear caused by asphalt, there is not much of a difference in cost. The resolution also included $300,000 to go to road construction. Wright said that the funds will be set aside, like they are every year, for possible cost increases for road paving projects.
Other items addressed at the commission meeting include:
∫ Approved a resolution supporting Belpre City Schools and the Washington County Department of Jobs & Family Services (JFS) and Nationwide Children’s Hospital submitting a grant to the Appalachian Community Innovation Centers Grant Program for funds to build a facility that would house k-12 classroom space, a health clinic for students and a satellite JFS office.
∫ Approved paying $1,459,121.74 in bills.
∫ Approved a Washington-Morgan Community Action home program homeowner’s agreement for $34,950 in repairs to a home located at 106 Crestlyn Court. The program offers repair and rehabilitation help for homes of low to moderate income families in Washington County.
∫ Approved letters of support for Building Bridges to Careers’ Pathways for Appalachian Growth and Empowerment Program proposal to the Appalachian Regional Commission’s 2024 POWER Initiative; the Corporations for Ohio Appalachian Development Early Child Care Division’s application for child care resource and referral services; the Organization of Clean Energy & Climate Recycled Computing Heat Recycle Center’s greenhouse and fishery operation project application for congressionally directed spending
∫ Approved the appointment of Michael Beardmore to the Washington County Behavioral Health Board.
∫ Approved a software agreement between Washington County and Connect Humanity as part of a grant from Connect Humanity to help the county map broadband.
∫ County’s Engineer’s Office informed the commissioners that it will be closing a bridge located on Township Road 443 and Mud Lane on Newell’s Run due to the condition of the bridge.
∫ Agreed to table an agreement with Environmental Design Group (EDG) for a pump station project and an additional appropriation for the County Engineer’s Office for $51,000 for management consulting to be provided by EDG, bid specs for the pump station project until they have had time to discuss it and review it further.
∫ Approved a purchase agreement for the Hickory Grove pump station from the current private owners. The ownership will transfer without any cash payment.
Michelle Dillon can be reached
at mdillon@newsandsentinel.com.
