STEUBENVILLE ­ ­– The Jefferson County commissioners on Thursday discussed several road projects.

Commissioners at the request of county Engineer James Branagan opened bids to pave about a mile of county Road 10 and fix a slip in the same section of road.

The engineer’s estimate for paving the section of county Road 10, outside Adena, was $95,148. Branagan said funds from the Ohio Public Works Commission will pay for a portion of the cost. Two bids were opened, with NLS Paving of St. Clairsville submitting the apparent low bid of $103,692.

The engineer’s estimate to repair the slip on county Road 10 was $75,095. Three bids were opened, with Allison Contracting of Wellsville submitting the apparent low bid of $71,895.

Branagan said the slip will be repaired first and then the section of road will be repaved.

Commissioners agreed to advertise to repair a slip on county Road 26. Branagan said the estimate is $43,915.

Commissioners signed a contract with Howard Bowers Contracting of Wintersville in the amount of $73,851 to repair a slip on county Road 68.

Branagan said the county is facing about $4 million in road slips this year due to the heavy rain. The county was part of a presidential disaster for flooding rain in February, which caused several slips. Branagan said repairs are being made to roads which were narrowed to one lane because of safety reasons. He said Federal Emergency Management Agency officials have yet to meet with him and review the slips caused by the heavy rains in February.

FEMA will reimburse the county for most of the cost of fixing the slips. But fixing the slips and waiting for reimbursement has created a cash-flow problem in his department.

“The big problem in going forward (with the work) is not knowing how much the county will be reimbursed,” he said. “We are putting together a priority list of work.”

The heavy rains also pull workers off jobs to clean debris from roads and unplug culverts, Branagan said.

The highway department was going to start the chip-and-seal program in a couple of weeks but that has been delayed because of the rainy weather.

The county received OPWC grants to pave county Roads 2 and 56 but Branagan said that work will be delayed because of slips of the roads, which need to be fixed first.

Commissioners signed contracts between the Jefferson County Job and Family Services and the Community Action Council for adult job training and for dislocated workers. Mike McGlumphy, CAC chief executive officer, said the contracts are for an amount not to exceed $745,656. The money will provide training for 86 adults and 59 dislocated workers, he said.

Commissioners also signed a contract with CAC to provide training for youth and young adults in an amount not to exceed$408,424. McGlumphy said 102 participants will be served through the summer youth program and for work experience throughout the year.

McGlumphy said the Jefferson County CAC was not successful in its attempt to regain the Head Start program. He said Columbiana County retained the contract, which will last for five years with another five-year renewal.

Commissioners also:

¯ Signed seven contracts with the Job and Family Services, Children Services Division, for placement of special needs children out of the county. The rates range from $105 a day to $350 a day.

¯ Signed a grant between Steubenville Municipal Court and the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction for the municipal court probation department. Judge John Mascio said the $180,000 grant pays for most of the probation department’s costs.

¯ Signed a grant agreement between common pleas court and the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction for $132,072 to pay for the probation department’s intensive supervision program.

¯ Signed two easements for the Amsterdam sewer project. Michael Eroshevich, county water and sewer department director, said about five easements have yet to be signed. The commissioners have authorized eminent domain court action for the remaining easements.

Commissioners next week will meet at 9 a.m. on Wednesday because of the Independence Day holiday.