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STEUBENVILLE -- After months of trying, the Jefferson County Fair Board finally got a bid for its small barn project that falls within 10 percent of the engineer's estimate.
But whether that's enough to get commissioners to sign on the bottom line remains to be seen.
"I don't know yet," Commissioner Dave Maple said after the meeting. "I have to take a look. The numbers didn't change that significantly, I thought we'd see even better than that and we only had one bidder. I definitely want to make something happen there but it wasn't as good (as I'd hoped)."
Tuesday's bid opening, the second, saw only one firm submitting a proposal -- Cattrell Cos. Inc. of Toronto -- for the reimagined project with a base bid of $443,000.
The engineer's estimate this bidding round was $440,000.
Commissioner Eric Timmons said he's "concerned."
"That is still a lot of money in my opinion," he said.
When it was originally pitched to commissioners in June 2022, fair board members had quotes in hand predicting the 7,200-square-foot structure would cost around $250,000.
But by March, after meeting with contractors and hearing their skepticism that it could be done that cheaply, to avoid bids coming in over budget, Architect Tim Mizer was authorized, albeit grudgingly, to boost the engineer's estimate to $340,000 but it still wasn't enough: The Round 1 bids in March came in more than $100,000 above the revised estimate -- the lowest, also submitted by Cattrell, back then was $457,000.
"We will get a barn, but we're going to have to do it another way," said Commissioner Tony Morelli, who admits he's not a fan of the hefty price tag. "I don't think I am ready to vote 'yes' at this time."
Commissioners also received drawings of the proposed layout for a paved parking lot and green space across from the Tower building. The county currently owns a lot used for parking, but it's not paved. Commissioners were planning to upgrade it, but then the Land Bank offered to transfer title to two buildings across the alley to the county if commissioners would pay for their demolition, which includes asbestos removal. The land bank will kick in $30,000 toward demolition, but the price tag for the county could be in the $160,000 range.
The plan calls for 88 parking spaces, including four ADA stalls, with only two entrances to better control access.
"Right now we have people going in a lot of different ways," Maintenance Supervisor Patrick Boyles said, telling commissioners he'd like to submit the plan to the city for review in the next few weeks. "That would greatly help, it would help the process -- maybe aim for late fall for paving, if the buildings are torn down by then."
Maple voiced appreciation for the city's cooperation in making the project happen. An ordinance vacating a portion between Fifth and Sixth streets from Market Street north about 160 feet to an unnamed alley.
"I want to look at it a little more in-depth, but I appreciate your help with this, 100 percent," Morelli said. "Nice work."
Jefferson Soil and Water District Administrator Irene Moore asked commissioners to deposit the $17,414 they received from a class action suit against Monsanto for PCB contamination of waterways.
"I would like to ask that the money be reinvested in the monitoring program," Moore told commissioners, pointing out there are a range of possibilities.
"This is all pie-in-the-sky right now, trying to think of needs," she said. "There's some monitoring equipment that could be upgraded, continuing education … public education and outreach. That's just off the top of our head right now."
The money will be put in the general fund until they have a concrete plan for using it.
"It's good we got it, it doesn't sound like you have had much time to decide what works (best)."