UPDATE — Steubenville City Council members listen as Jefferson County Port Authority Robert Naylor offered updates Tuesday on various projects. -- Linda Harris

STEUBENVILLE — Steubenville City Council got the update Mayor Jerry Barilla requested last week from the Jefferson County Port Authority Tuesday.

Port Authority Executive Director Robert Naylor was at this week’s meeting to run through the projects currently in progress, as well as a major funding opportunity that fell flat.

He also commented on the county’s poor showing in the recent Appalachian Community Grant awards: Of the roughly $500 million distributed among Ohio’s 33 Appalachian counties, Jefferson County received just $5 million.

That award to Adena to revitalize its core business district was included in an application submitted by the Ohio Mid-Eastern Government Association.

Commissioners had turned over the $198,140 Jefferson County was initially awarded to plan and design its grant application to Naylor and the port authority, which then hired a consultant to help determine which projects community leaders sought funding for should be included. OMEGA eventually took control and was awarded $30.6 million for projects in six counties, including Jefferson.

A second application, developed by Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District, was not funded.

“While the dollar amount of the grant dollars received by Jefferson County … wasn’t commensurate or equal to the effort put in or the hours or ideas put forth, the port authority and its board of directors believe it’s important to take a ‘lesson learned’ approach,” he said. “… We need to set a vision for where we want our county to be, what we want for our county, for economic sustainability and how we are going to pursue it going forward. We may have had missteps, we may not have communicated how we should but … we think we need to take a long hard look back.”

Naylor also told council they’ve applied for grant funding to remove three dilapidated buildings left on a 7-plus acre parcel that used to be part of Weirton Steel’s Steubenville works. The property had been purchased by Tidewater Logistics, which then sold all but the 7.88 acre parcel in question, located south of state Route 7 near the Pilot gas station, to a real estate investment trust in Arizona.

He said Tidewater started out with about 15 employees, “now they’re up to 46” and looking to hire more.

“If that grant is approved those buildings will be torn down and it would open up (additional acreage” for development, he said, adding it would “either be sold to a new business, leased out or they would use it for their own development activities.”

He said they’re still awaiting a decision on a $200,000 capital budget request that would cover major repairs at Belleview Pool.

“A decision on whether we get that (money) will probably come in June,” he said, adding the application was done in collaboration with OMEGA with major input from Steubenville Recreation Director Lori Fetherolf.

He said they’re also waiting for West Virginia officials to issue their final report on the Market Street Bridge.

“If that … goes as many believe it will go, the bridge may be closed permanently,” he repeated, adding that West Virginia Department of Highways is pursuing federal funding to replace the span.

He said the U.S. Department of Transportation “did ask WVDOH to resubmit their application, which we take as a good sign. They didn’t reject it, they asked for more data, more information.”

He said there’s been “a great deal of work, not only with our local BHJ (Brooke-Hancock-Jefferson Metropolitan Planning Commission) but also with the BDC (Business Development Corp. of the Northern Panhandle). We all realize that what’s good for Ohio, along the river here, is good for West Virginia” and vice-versa.

“And that bridge, if we are fortunate enough to get that grant, we could have a bridge in seven or eight years,” he added.

Mayor Jerry Barilla questioned the progress made on the redeveloping the old Exchange Realty building on Market Street.

“We’re still moving forward on that, still having discussions with Opportunity Appalachia,” he said. “I took a developer through there last week. That building, there are many different theories on that building, one theory is if you have to tear it down it’s going to be quite an expense. It’s concrete, it’s big — it’s solid rock.”

He said a feasibility study suggests Exchange Realty would be a $16 million renovation, so they’d have to go after tax credits. Tearing it down could cost $1.5 million or more.

“I think council is aware the port authority wants to develop a strategic plan for Jefferson County,” he said. “… This plan needs to set a vision, not just for the county seat (Steubenville) but for the entire county.”

He said the county currently has about 65,500 residents, but that’s expected to fall to around 48,000 by 2050.

“Regional development is where everybody’s going,” he said.

Council, meanwhile, adopted emergency legislation authorizing the purchase of four parcels on Sinclair Avenue “to help maintain the sewer system integrity.”

Second readings were given to legislation adopting the fiscal year 2025 tax budget and conveying a downtown parcel to the Jefferson County Land Bank “to effectuate (its sale) to Brian and Sarah Shafer.”

Third Ward Councilwoman Heather Hoover rescheduled her next Pride Committee meeting to June 11.

Council also met behind closed doors after the public portion of the meeting to executive session to discuss the city manager’s six-month evaluation.