County engineer gets go-ahead for new storage building proposal

LISBON -- Plow trucks used by the Columbiana County Engineer's Office to keep roads clear will get a new home this summer.

County commissioners gave the go-ahead Wednesday for county Engineer Bert Dawson to seek design/build proposals for a new garage/storage building, which will replace one and a half buildings on the engineer's property on South Market Street.

"Those buildings are basically falling down. They're old, metal, and have no heat." Dawson said when contacted.

He estimated they dated back pretty far and the plow trucks of today are so big they don't really fit, they stick out. Plans call for construction of a new big building that measures 80 feet by 188 feet to store the plow trucks, shop trucks and fuel trucks.

All design/build proposals submitted will be opened on Feb. 7. at the engineer's office. Dawson said the plan is for construction to take place this spring and summer.

Commissioners also agreed to advertise for bids for two Community Development Block Grants for a street improvement project in Salineville and a water line project in Leetonia, with the bid openings set for Jan. 24 in the commissioners' office. The Salineville project involves resurfacing Washington Street from Main Street to the Brookview Apartments. The Leetonia project will connect the village's high pressure main to the southeast quadrant of the village at Cherry Fork Avenue to Home Street.

In other business, the commissioners approved American Rescue Plan Act expenses of $50,000 for the Perry Township Painter Road widening project and $20,000 for tourism funding for the Columbiana County Visitors Bureau, appointed Arthur Conser of Columbiana as the county apiary inspector (beekeeper) for a fee of $2,500 for the year to inspect beehives, appointed Columbiana County Department of Job and Family Services Director Rachel Ketterman and attorney Patrick Wilson to serve on the Community Action Agency of Columbiana County Board of Directors, approved the county cafeteria (health) plan for 2024 and accepted a revision to the Beaver Valley Power Station Radiological Emergency Response Plan. Due to the county's proximity to the nuclear power plant, the county must keep an updated emergency response plan in case of an issue at the plant besides conducting a drill every 18 months to two years.

The commissioners also approved the county highway system mileage certification as 166.746 miles as of Dec. 31, which Commissioner Mike Halleck explained must be done annually for the county to access some funding for the engineer's office. Dawson was also authorized to join and maintain various professional memberships as county engineer and county sanitary engineer. The probable costs for the memberships totaled $10,275 and included the County Engineers Association of Ohio, County Sanitary Engineers Association of Ohio, Ohio Society of Professional Engineers, American Society of Civil Engineers, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, American Public Works Association, Professional Land Surveyors of Ohio and National Society of Professional Engineers.

At the end of the meeting when commissioners asked if anyone in the audience had anything to add, Lisbon resident John P. Williams, who's running for commissioner, referred to Ohio Sunshine Law and the Open Meetings Act and said "I challenge that this meeting is in compliance with the Open Meetings Act."

The statement prompted an exchange with Halleck, who questioned what Williams had a problem with regarding their meeting.

"If we're doing something that's improper, we'd like to know what we're doing wrong," Halleck said.

Williams noted the public doesn't access the minutes to the meetings, which he noted last about 5 minutes. He also held up a copy of the Sunshine Law and Open Meetings Act. When told the minutes are online on the commissioners' website for anyone to see, he did admit he sees them on there.

When asked after the meeting what he meant about the compliance, he pointed again to the Sunshine Law and Open Meetings Act. He said not enough information is given at the meetings and commissioners need to make it so people can understand what they're doing and can hear them.

At several points during the meeting, Halleck did explain what the action was that they were taking.

The next meeting of county commissioners will be 9 a.m. Jan. 17 at the downtown courthouse. To check the agenda or minutes, visit the website at www.cccommissioners.org.