Commissioners mull loan for HVAC project at the Towers – The Steubenville Herald-Star

STEUBENVILLE After receiving an estimate for a new heating, air conditioning and ventilation system for the Ohio Valley Towers building, the Jefferson County commissioners are expected to take a loan for the project.

The commissioners on Thursday received an estimate of more than $2 million to replace the buildings current system. The estimate came from McKinley and Associates of Wheeling, the commissions architectural consultant, which found controls and ductwork must be redesigned and reconfigured to meet the buildings heating and cooling needs.

Commissioner David Maple told his fellow commissioners, Were going to have to go after a loan and probably soon.

Following the meeting, Maple said the buildings existing HVAC system is aging and the commissioners had to bring in an exterior air conditioning unit to cool it. He acknowledged they also face extensive repairs or replacement of the buildings roof.

Maple said the commissioners also might draw on $500,000 remaining from a loan taken for earlier improvements to the building and the demolition of the courthouse annex.

Mark Morelli of Optional Utility Consultants, an energy broker for the county, noted a reduction in energy use since more energy-efficient boilers and lighting were installed at the building. In the near future Morelli is expected to propose the renewal of a three-year contract for the buildings electrical supply.

The Towers building also has helped to save the county money by bringing many of its departments and agencies under one roof.

Commissioner Thomas Graham said the Ohio State University Extension Service and the countys port authority will be moving into the building soon.

The commissioners also granted a request from Mingo Junction for $10,000 from the countys recreation fund to offset the cost for the villages amphitheater project, installation of a non-slip surface for the swimming pools dressing areas and repairs to a shelter house at the park.

Village Administrator Bob Smith said the project had to be redesigned because it would have disturbed a drainage system along the adjacent hillside, but is back on track and expected to be completed this summer.

Money in the recreation fund comes from the countys piggyback tax.

In related business, Island Creek Township trustees advised they used about $2,560 of $4,046 allocated from the fund for the Pleasant Hill ballfield for an emergency measure replacing a collapsing well house supplying water to the park with a submersible pump. The trustees said the remainder of the money was used to reimburse the Pleasant Hill Baseball Association for field mix.

In other business, the commissioners:

Agreed to advertise for a contractor to pave a parking lot at the annexs former site. The commissioners said the lot will include about 37 spaces, most of them for residents visiting the courthouse.

Accepted a $14,236 drug law enforcement grant from the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services for the countys drug task force, with the task force to provide the 25 percent match from its budget. Its the fifth consecutive year the task force has received the grant.

Received three bids for a bridge replacement project on county Road 75: $829,000 from A.P. OHoro of Youngstown; $816,180 from Shelly and Sands of Rayland; and $747,463 from BOG Construction of Berlin Center. The bids were referred to the county engineer for review.

Approved a proclamation declaring Thursday as Betty Ferron Day in recognition of her 50 years of service as a county employee and volunteer. They noted that in addition to her role as director of the countys director of job and family services, Ferron has volunteered for the Jefferson County Fourth Street Health Center and other causes.

Appointed Todd Phillipson, Dave Lucas, Karla Martin and Rich Gualtire to the Jefferson County Youth Council and Kyle Brown, Karen DAnnibale, Nicholas Cacciacarro, Randy Stillings and Martin to the work force investment board. All will serve three-year terms.

All of the appointments are renewals except for Martin, who is the new coordinator of the Aspire GED program at Eastern Gateway Community College, and Cacciacarro, who is PNC Banks new representative to the work force investment board.

(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldstaronline.com.)

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Commissioners mull loan for HVAC project at the Towers - The Steubenville Herald-Star