LISBON — The Columbiana County commissioners on Wednesday accepted a $250,000 state grant for the East Palestine train depot renovations, authorizing board president Commissioner Roy Paparodis to sign all documents related to the grant.

“We’re very excited that we’re able to bring this project to the community,” Columbiana Countuy Port Authority Project Coordinator Haedan Panezott said.

Panezott said the money is coming from the Ohio Department of Development Community Development Block Grant Target of Opportunity Flexible Spending Grant. The county Port Authority will serve as administrator, with the next step to secure all the necessary signatures, then put the project out for bids through the commissioners. He confirmed all necessary permits for construction have been secured.

He explained Norfolk Southern owns the land and signed a 99-year lease for the East Palestine Community Improvement Corporation, which owns the train depot building at 58 West Taggart St., East Palestine.

In a partnership, the county and EPCIC plan to renovate the interior of the structure by re-establishing or installing all utilities, rewiring the building, installing HVAC and plumbing, installing bathrooms, install a kitchen, insulate the building, rebuild or refinish the floor as needed and make other cosmetic improvements needed to prepare the space for a restaurant/tavern tenant.

According to Panezott, this will be the first substantial downtown renovation in East Palestine since the train derailment which reduced traffic from visitors, shoppers and diners. The project is expected to create 14 new jobs and help generate traffic to the village downtown.

In other business, commissioners opened bids for the Overflow Sewer Grant Program aimed at connecting qualifying Hanoverton residents to the new sanitary sewer system using a grant totaling $190,100 secured from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. The county Port Authority is administering the grant while the county engineer’s office prepared the specifications for the tap-in work.

Three bids were received, with a Salem company, Lambert Excavating/Scott Lambert and Collin Murphy, submitting the lowest bid for $139,000. Other bidders included AB Excavating LLC, Kensington, $154,992 and CBC Construction LLC, Wellsville, $142,644. Bids were referred to the engineer’s office for review and a recommendation.

CCPA Project Coordinator Elise Wallace said the project will help 15 properties tap into the new sanitary sewer system. Considering the bid amounts were less than the grant amount, she wasn’t sure what will happen with the extra funding, which will have to be determined.

Chief Deputy Sanitary Engineer Troy Graft of the county Engineer’s Office said the project may be awarded next week. He said the prices are good prices. The deadline for the project for construction completion is Sept. 30.

“We hope it starts as soon as possible,” he said about the construction.

The commissioners also reappointed Deputy Clerk Beth Duvall as county loss control coordinator for 2026, dealing with the county’s insurance.

The next meeting of commissioners will be 9 a.m. April 1 in the downtown courthouse.

mgreier@mojonews.com