Smithfield Township brings proposed project before commissioners

STEUBENVILLE -- According to Smithfield Township Trustee Dan Cermak, a new township complex is much-needed for a variety of reasons.

Cermak and fellow trustee Vince Pastre appeared before the Jefferson County Commissioners Thursday to talk about the needed project. Cermak told the commissioners the township is in the process of exploring funding options, which would construct a new township complex in the township park in Piney Fork. The biggest hurdle is the cost, which Cermak told the board was estimated at more than $4.1 million.

He noted there has been a need for a new township garage and offices due to the current facility being "in disrepair."

The former village of Smithfield dissolving into the township in November 2019 added a big wrinkle to the need for updated facilities, as did the creation of the Short Creek Fire District, which serves the township.

The former village's police department is now a township police department.

"We started down that road (of pursuing building a new township building) but since then the village of Smithfield has dissolved and we created one of the first fire districts in the county," Cermak said. "We now need a township complex. We've put a lot of time into the design of the building."

"Challenge is an understatement," he said concerning the dissolution of Smithfield. "As far as township officials go, it was a huge curveball."

He said it would be a multi-phased project.

"You saw a need, a future need and present need, and you didn't just talk about it, you're taking some action," Commissioner Dave Maple said to the trustees. "I think it's been overlooked, but the trustees, with the dissolution of Smithfield, really got thrown a curveball and you are doing the best you can there.

"You were given a mess and it's an important project to clean up the mess. I appreciate what you're doing."

The plan for the complex, it was pointed out, includes amenities for the police department as well as living quarters for fire and EMS personnel, the township garage and office space.

"It's a sizable complex, but It's much-needed for our township because with consolidation, collaboration, we don't know what's going to happen to other villages in the township. We need some type of facility to house all those entities."

Cermak said the point of bringing the project before the commissioners was to inform them about it and seek potential assistance with funding opportunities. He noted the township has talked with state agencies and is pursuing grants.

"A facility like that would be really good for Smithfield Township," Commissioner Thomas Graham said.

Even with Tuesday's news that Gov. Mike DeWine's signature of House Bill 168 would provide townships with funding from the American Rescue Plan Act, how much the township will receive and how much, if any, of its allocation could be used for the project is yet to be seen.

All three commissioners were supportive of the project and expressed interest in assisting however the county can, though Maple pointed out -- as has been pointed out several times during the township discussions pertaining to ARPA funds -- that the commissioners cannot legally give money to townships or other taxing authorities.

"People ask me all the time what is the biggest need (in the county). The townships have the biggest need," Maple said, adding he has expressed interest in the past in getting funding to townships if permissible.

"Until I got elected, I didn't realize how important the townships were," Commissioner Tony Morelli said. "I live in (a township). (The trustees) jobs are difficult jobs. I would love to see that (building get built). It's a great area."

Another project involving a locality was also discussed, as county Engineer Jim Branagan sought approval from the board to resurface a portion of county Road 30 that lies within the Village of Mingo Junction.

Branagan said the Ohio Revised Code allows for such work to be done with the commissioners' approval and consent of the governmental entity. He provided the commissioners with a letter from Mingo Junction Mayor Ed Fithen providing that consent.

The engineer's department is currently resurfacing a portion of the road that is not in the village. Branagan said the county and the village had an agreement that the county would resurface the road and the village would pay for the portion of the project that occurred on the village's portion of the road, but since then the village has informed the engineer that it does not have the funds -- which Branagan noted is less than $25,000 -- therefore leaving it up to the county whether it will proceed and incur the cost or not resurface that portion of the road.

Branagan recommended proceeding with the project because of the poor condition of the road and its proximity to Hills Elementary School.

Maple expressed concern that there was not more of an explanation from Mingo Junction as to why it could not fund the project and that proceeding with paying for the village's portion would set a precedent for other entities to back out of similar agreements with the county.

"They put something in writing at some point in time for this project that (Mingo Junction) can fund this part of the project, but now they're saying they can't," he said. "I don't hear why. Why did they sign and say they can? It's unfair for the county engineer to be telling me that. Mingo should be telling me that."

"I'm going to support it, I don't want (the county) to be a safety net for an easy decision by a village," he later added. "There has got to be some process ... to me it is a little bit of a slippery slope. I think there is a missing step."

Branagan noted that based on conversations he's had with village officials, he believes the village originally planned to use ARPA funds that guidelines do not permit to be used for roads.

Maple and the other commissioners did, however, move to approve Branagan's department to proceed.

Branagan noted there was a part of the road in the original plan that was not being done because of Mingo Junction not paying for it and the condition of that portion of the road being better.

"The village made a mistake and we're going to help them out," Graham said.

Also noteworthy:

● The commissioners passed a resolution allowing for the county's legal council to approve a bankruptcy plan and settlement from Purdue Pharma in regard to ongoing litigation the county is involved in.

The action came after an executive session with Assistant Prosecutor Frank Bruzzese, who the board commended for appearing on short notice due to a deadline in the matter.

Bruzzese stated that the county is one of more than 600,000 plaintiffs, more than 6,000 of which are governmental entities, involved in the litigation, which the county joined in 2017.

● After several weeks of discussions, the commissioners approved an amended version of the Humane Society's plan for take over operation of the county animal shelter.

Among the changes were specifications that enrichment items must be approved by the dog warden, impound fees go to the county, things like food and flea medication will be paid for by the Humane Society and a clause that the three-year contract renews unless notice is given by either party.

Graham reviewed the contract and the suggested the changes after consulting with county dog warden Chad Coyle.

● After tabling the matter last week to seek more clarification on the process used to find a candidate, the commissioners approved the appointment of Tom Timmons to the county Prevention and Recovery Board.

● The commissioners signed a contract with PDK Construction for a guard rail replacement project for the engineer's office for $122,611.88.