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STEUBENVILLE -- The Jefferson County commissioners say they feel like they're "finally seeing progress" with plans for a spec building at the industrial park.
At Thursday's meeting, Agracel's Jason Kester told commissioners the proposed spec building, seen as a tool to spur job creation and generate revenue, could conceivably be ready for its first tenant sometime in 2025.
Kester, the firm's Ohio Valley development director, said they'd assist Jefferson County Port Authority Executive Director Robert Naylor with construction management.
"We're estimating if you said 'go,' right now, that by the fall or end of next year we'd be ready to break ground," he told commissioners, noting the grant application and permitting approvals could take about nine months.
"Hopefully we get all the grants, get everything approved in this calendar year and be ready to break ground" early in 2025, he said. "Our goal would be to get it done as quick as possible."
At last week's meeting commissioners hired Mike Jacoby, now a consultant with Bricker Graydon, to assist in developing and marketing the spec building.
"It's great, we're moving forward," Commissioner Eric Timmons said. "That's what we want. I asked him today if we said 'yes' right now, what (time frame) we'd be looking at and he said they could have something done in 2025 -- we want to get this done, we want to spur economic growth here."
Commissioner Tony Morelli agreed, saying he looks forward to "meeting with Agracel and the port authority soon to see exactly what they can do and how their expertise can help us."
Commissioners also learned Tenaska, a Nebraska-based company, hopes to develop a regional carbon capture and storage hub that would "help manufacturers, businesses, energy producers and other carbon emitters meet current and future emission rules and remain operational and competitive."
The system would capture and liquefy carbon dioxide emissions produced by manufacturers, industrial processors and power plants, storing them "deep underground beneath a thick layer of impermeable cap rock." The carbon dioxide "then naturally mineralizes and dissolves over time," the company says.
The system is comprised of above-ground injection and monitoring wells, pore space deep underground and a "small pipeline network that connects the storage field to the carbon dioxide sources." Each storage space would involve "10,000 to 15,000 acres of pore space deep underground, with three (or) four above-ground injection wells," the company says.
The technology has been in use since the mid-1990s, with 30 CCS projects currently in operation and 5,000 miles of active C02 pipelines across the U.S., and Tenasko is targeting 2027 to have the system operational, though that's contingent on, among other things, securing well sites and negotiating pore space rights with landowners.
The company projects $1.1 billion in economic activity in the Tri-State Area during the construction stage, including 1,900 jobs and $412 million in salaries. Once operational, Tenaska anticipates $22 million in annual spending throughout the region, 52 permanent jobs and $4.6 million in salaries and $1.8 million in state and local taxes.
Timmons said they have a lot of research to do.
"We've only heard one side," he said. "We're going to definitely do a little more research on it. It sounds good right now but there's always two sides. We need to look at some of the places where this has happened already, see what the results have been. It sounds good -- there'd be a lot of job creation, a lot of money to be made and it seems like the biggest activity would be here, six wells. But we need to do a little more digging, first."
Morelli agreed, conceding it "sounds very interesting and could bring jobs and financial incentives to our county."
"This was an introduction today from them," he said. "More specifics will come as we meet and get more details from them."
Commissioner Dave Maple also voiced concern that it might impact landowners' mineral rights.
Commissioners authorized Prevention and Recovery Board Director William Holt to move forward with plans to use American Rescue Plan funds to expand use of PAX strategies in county schools to decrease behavioral problems and increase teacher retention.
Holt told commissioners the highly-regarded program -- which aims to keep students focused and attentive, improve test scores and achieve other academic outcomes while reducing alcohol and drug use as well as teen suicides -- is credited with improving graduation rates across Ohio.
Commissioners also voiced their disappointment with the lack of attendance at District Advisory Board meetings, pointing out it's been an ongoing problem.
Timmons said a handful of members often "end up making very important decisions."
"We've come a long way with those meetings, we're almost there," Morelli added. "We're just asking elected officials to attend the DAC meetings. If you're an elected official, please go to these meetings."
• Commissioners agreed to advertise for bids for guardrail replacement on county Roads 10 and 56. The project, funded in part with federal funds administered by the Ohio Department of Transportation, is estimated at $962,915.50.
• Approved a contract between the Department of Jobs and Family Services and the Multi-County Juvenile Attention System for housing and protective services for dependent, neglected and abused children. The per-diem rate is $325, contingent on availability of federal and state funding.
• Approved a contract with Washington County, Pa., to reserve beds at the Juvenile Detention Center. Court officials said the contract generates $292,000 a year, which is used to offset operating costs.
• Authorized the purchase of Rescue, a disinfectant that can kill parvo, ringworm, kennel cough, influenza and other germs, to address a kennel cough outbreak at the animal shelter.
• Hired Sue Roudebush of Taft Stettinius and Hollister LLP, a Columbus firm specializing in workers compensation cases, to represent the county in a case now being litigated.
• Noted the resignation of Annie Silverthorn from the board of trustees of the public Library of Steubenville and Jefferson County, "due to family obligations and wellness."
• Designated Morelli to serve as a voting member to the County Commissioners Association of Ohio, with Timmons serving as his alternate.