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STEUBENVILLE -- Jefferson County commissioners won't be able to give the Brilliant American Legion Post 573 two lots they'd requested.
Post 573 has been mowing the lots, located at 200 and 206 Market Street in Brilliant, for years and had hoped to take title to them.
Assistant Prosecutor Shawn M. Blake, however, told commissioners the deeds stipulate that they can be conveyed "only to another public entity and only with prior approval from Ohio EMA and the regional director of FEMA." While the American Legion post is non-profit, it is not a public entity.
According to the deed covenants, the property can only be used for "purposes compatible with open space, recreational or wetlands management practices."
Commissioners did give maintenance Supervisor Patrick Boyles the go-ahead to get "third-party help" evaluating furnaces at the old Developmental Disabilities building on Cherry Avenue. The agency vacated the property several months ago.
Boyles said there are six furnaces in the building and he's worked on several himself, but he needs the help with one in the old laundry area that appeared to have been disfunctional for quite a while.
"You can just tell it hasn't run in a couple of years," he said. "So that one may be a little bit of a costly repair. If that's the case, I'd just put portable heaters in there."
Commissioners also paid the $1,254 tab for repairing and certifying the building's elevator. Boyles told them they'd mulled shutting it down but concluded it made more sense to get it repaired and safety tested.
"The cost of shutting it down and then draining the oil out of it and bolting it shut was three times as much as it was just to remain certified," he said.
Boyles said the roof will need addressed in the near future.
"I don't think we should be looking at a long-term ownership," Commissioner Dave Maple said. "(We need to) either move it or get it back into the public's hands."
Commissioner Tony Morelli said there's interest in the property.
"We have a company I was asked not to (identify) looking at it very seriously and hopefully we can move forward with it," he said, telling Boyles that "in my opinion what you're doing is correct. We need to have some heat in there to make sure we don't have further damage (while we) see how this prospect pans out."
Commissioners also instructed Boyles to look into the contract for the courthouse Christmas light display during the Steubenville Nutcracker Village celebration, pointing out the Nutcracker celebration draws visitors from all over to downtown Steubenville during the holiday season.
At Jefferson Regional Planning Commission Director Betty Lou Tarr's request, commissioners agreed to advertise for bids for the Dillonvale storm sewer project. Bid opening is slated for Nov. 30.
Commissioners approved a resolution supporting Brooke-Hancock-Jefferson Metropolitan Planning Commission's application for a U.S. EPA Brownfield Coalition assessment grant for Fiscal Year 2024.
Commissioners also signed off on the notice to proceed with the Area J and Bloomingdale tanks rehabilitation project. Fort Steuben Maintenance will do the work.