STEUBENVILLE - Jefferson County commissioners Thursday agreed to provide another $70,000 to meet the payroll at the county jail.

The jail fund has run out of money to pay corrections officers, and the commissioners are using money from the $400,000 jail settlement fund to keep the jail open.

Sheriff Fred Abdalla is reducing the number of prisoners at the jail to a point where he had said he would lay off 10 corrections officers.

Abdalla said Thursday he is waiting for the commissioners to provide him with a budget total for next year before he makes a decision on how many jailers to lay off.

Commissioners have announced budgets for county departments next year will have to be reduced by about 15 percent because of declining state and local revenue.

Abdalla noted if his jail budget is cut too much, he may be forced to completely shut down the jail.

County Commissioner Thomas Graham said the commissioners won't be able to keep providing the jail with additional funding next year.

"When the jail settlement money is gone, there won't be anything left to bail (Abdalla) out. Cutbacks are needed to balance the budget. A lot of different areas of the budget will be facing cutbacks," Graham said.

In other matters, commissioners received a letter from the Jefferson County Animal Rescue League about providing assistance in taking care of cats at the new animal shelter.

County taxpayers approved a levy to build the jail but county money can only be used to care for dogs, according to state law. The Jefferson County Animal Welfare League had for years provided care for felines at the existing animal shelter but has pulled out of the support because of a lack of membership in the organization.

The Jefferson County Human Society also has offered to take care of the cats at the new animal shelter.

Commissioners are close to making a decision on which organization will care for the cats, but the Animal Rescue League asked the board to delay a decision until December when a more formal proposal can be made for feline care.

Commissioners also:

Proclaimed November as Adoption Awareness Month at the request of the Jefferson County Job and Family Services, Children Services Division.

Proclaimed Nov. 15 as America Recycles Day at the request of the Jefferson-Belmont Solid Waste Authority.

Received only one bid for cinders and ashes for use by the Jefferson County Engineer's Department for the winter season.

(Law can be contacted at mlaw@heraldstaronline.com.)