Wintersville county court moving to former Oliver Pool building
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STEUBENVILLE -- Wintersville county Court will be moving to the old Oliver Pool building in Wintersville.
The Jefferson County commissioners said Thursday they will ask Assistant Prosecutor Shawn Blake to draft a lease agreement with 512 Main Street Wintersville LLC for the property.
Commissioner Dave Maple said they'd been working with the court to find a new location for more than a year.
"I've been looking for 20 years," Judge Michael Bednar interjected.
Maple said they negotiated a 10-year lease, with the rent calculated at $22 per square foot.
"That includes a build out by the landlord to turn the building into a courtroom," he said.
The county court will occupy a 2,900-square-foot space once the addition is done.
"The increase in square footage recognizes the build out," he said.
The court is currently located at 30 Talbott Drive, a location court officials have long said wasn't meeting their needs or those of the public.
Commissioners also accepted the annual report from the Department of Job and Family Services.
Commissioner Tony Morelli told Director Michele Santin her department "is moving in a positive direction."
"I've been in your facilities several times and things look very good over there," Morelli said. "(And) there's excitement about moving over to the children's home."
Highlights of the department's 2022 report include services provided to Medicaid-eligible pregnant women and health-related services for infants.
The department also offers child care services, adult protective services, and Healthcheck, a voluntary preventative health program offering medical, dental and vision, screenings and service, to Medicaid-eligible children up to age 21.
Assistant Director Matt Kendall also showed off new virtual reality headsets the department is using to train new and existing caseworkers. They were purchased with a retention and recruitment grant from the state.
"We feel we could use these with the community as well," Santin said, "and show the different entities what children services does."
Commissioners also authorized the department to get rid of broken and obsolete equipment.
In other matters, commissioners:
* After getting the green light from Blake, commissioners agreed to have legislation drafted that would allow Sheriff Fred Abdalla Jr. to sell nine inoperable vehicles to the salvage yard.
Because the vehicles are valued at less than $2,500, Blake confirmed for commissioners the "most prudent" course of conduct would be to sell them "at a private sale, without the need for advertisement or public notification."
"The best candidate for a potential purchaser of each vehicle appears to be a salvage yard, where (a deputy) could oversee the destruction of each vehicle to ensure that the law enforcement devices are destroyed along with each vehicle," Blake said. "This would also alleviate the need for removal of (those) devices if the vehicles are sold to someone other than a salvage yard."
Slated to be sold: Two 2005 Crown Victorias, two 2007 Crown Victorias, three 2008 Crown Victorias, a 2011 Crown Victoria and a wrecked 2017 Ford Explorer.
* Signed a contract with Communication Workers of America for dog and kennel employees. Maple pointed out they'd previously discussed and approved the pact, "it's just the official signature (that's) needed."
* Opened three bids for resurfacing county Roads 50, 60, 75 and 75A: NLS Paving of St. Clairsville, $807.019.50; Cast and Baker of Cannonsburg, $864,749; and Shelley and Sands of Rayland, $800,452.15. The engineer's estimate was $667,609.
* Agreed to transfer $30,000 from the county's recreation fund to Friendship Park for operating expenses. Commissioners have about $238,000 left in recreation money, with applications due by the end of the month.
* At water and sewer District Director Mike Eroshevich's request, approved the final extension for new sewer customers in the Amsterdam area to connect to the system. Commissioners designated Oct. 2 as the deadline to connect.
Eroshevich said the new deadline "will give residents the upcoming construction season to connect."