STEUBENVILLE - Jefferson County commissioners on Thursday agreed to hire CT Consultants of Youngstown to administer a $277,274 grant from the Ohio Attorney General's Office to demolish houses and buildings throughout the county.
The county's Regional Planning Commission obtained a Moving Ohio Forward Demolition Program grant from the attorney general's office.
The Moving Ohio Forward Demolition Program helps stabilize and improve communities by removing blighted and abandoned homes with funds from the $75 million national mortgage settlement reached earlier this year, according to the attorney general's office.
Domenick Mucci, county Regional Planning Commission director, said 28 homes or buildings will be demolished with the grant funds. Five structures each in Steubenville and Toronto, seven in villages and 11 in townships are scheduled for demolition. The members of the regional planning commission met and agreed on the list, he said.
CT Consultants will do asbestos checks on the homes and structures, prepare bid specifications and inspect demolition work. CT will be paid $31,000 for the work under the agreement.
In other matters, commissioners received no interest from architectural or engineering firms for design of electrical upgrades at the county courthouse. The commissioners asked firms to submit qualifications to do the design work but received none.
Commissioners said they will try again to advertise for the qualifications.
Commissioners approved a contract for Jet Excavating of New Middletown in the amount of $228,153 for a bridge replacement on county Road 47.
Commissioners signed two contracts with Beaver and Butler counties in Pennsylvania to house juveniles as needed in the county's juvenile detention facility. William Ward, juvenile detention director, said the per-day cost will remain at $130.
Commissioners also approved a new two-year lease agreement for the Ohio State University Extension Office. The office is at 135 Main St., Wintersville, but will move to the former Bantam Ridge Elementary School on Bantam Ridge Road, Wintersville. The move will save the agency about $5,000 a year, said Janine Yeske, extension educator.
Commissioners also heard a quarterly update from the Prime Time Office on Aging on services provided to senior citizens through a 1-mill levy.
Judy Owings of Prime Time said about 900 to 1,000 people are served daily, including 750 residents who receive a hot meal. She said there is still a waiting list for people to get the meals but the list has decreased from 200 to about 100.
