LISBON — The Columbiana County Port Authority will be receiving nearly half a million dollars from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration to aid in the county’s economic recovery project.

Executive director Penny Traina told the board during their Monday meeting that the CCPA’s application for a $478,000 EDA investment was approved. The original project was first discussed by the port authority last year and included hiring two economic recovery specialists to meet with employers in the county and assess their needs. The specialists will then come up with a working plan to aid those businesses.

According to Traina, the program will focus on business retention expansion, work force development to build skills, and secure new jobs. The specialists will compile an inventory of businesses and prioritize visits based on economic contributions, industry, and need, and develop relationships in the business districts in the county.

The total cost of the program is $597,500. The CPPA will contribute $119,500, which includes $7,500 from East Liverpool Community Improvement Corporation. The money will be used to pay the two specialists $65,000 a year each for three years, plus benefits. The rest will go towards operations and plan development.

In other business, Traina announced that the port authority nominated Humtown Products, a conventional and 3-D printed sand cores and molds manufacturer, for the Eastern Ohio Development Alliance Excellence in Manufacturing Award, and that they were selected as a winner in the category of small manufacturing.

The board also accepted awards from Groff Tractor & Equipment and Miller Builders. The board accepted a bid for two new Case 1121G XR wheel loaders in the amount of $605,000 from Groff Tractor & Equipment to be used for the Parsons terminal in Wellsville, which is part of the ODOT maritime assistance program. They also accepted a bid for sitework, a concrete slab and to furnish and install a 72′ by 130′ fabric storage building in the amount of $310,789 from Miller Builders for the Wellsville terminals storage building project, another ODOT maritime assistance program project.

lnickel@mojonews.com