ANNUAL REPORT — Bill Holt, executive director of the Jefferson County Prevention and Recovery Board, talks with the Jefferson County commissioners during Thursday's meeting. -- Linda Harris

STEUBENVILLE — The Jefferson County Board of Developmental Disabilities is looking for someone to manage Shaffer Plaza, but whether they’ll hire a replacement or privatize the operation remains to be seen, the Jefferson County commissioners learned Thursday.

In a letter to the commissioners, BDD Superintendent Mike Zinno said the current director is resigning. He said she’ll continue in her role through April but “plans to step away in early May.”

Zinno said his board is “actively advertising and interviewing” for a replacement residential director and hopes to attract quality candidates to fill the role, but at the same time they’re exploring residential privatization options.

“This includes evaluating whether a private provider could better address daily operations and operational challenges, such as attracting and retaining a high-quality work force,” Zinno wrote. “To make an informed decision, we will conduct a thorough analysis and initiate a statewide search through a request for proposal. Through this, we hope to gain clarity on the best path forward for Shaffer Plaza and its residents.”

He cautioned against speculation and said he will release information “as it becomes available.”

“Shaffer Plaza is an essential service to our community and will continue to operate,” he said. “The key question is under whose management — will it remain with the county board, or will a private provider be better positioned to serve the residents and meet operational needs? Over the coming month we will do our best to answer that question thoughtfully and thoroughly.”

Prevention and Recovery Board Executive Director William Holt, meanwhile, delivered his annual report, telling commissioners 2024 “underscored the power of strong community partnerships,” describing them as “vital lifelines that extend our reach and ensure a holistic approach to care. By working together, we have been able to address the complex needs of our community more effectively than ever before.”

At Water and Sewer Service District Director Mike Eroshevich’s request, commissioners nominated the Bergholz and Amsterdam water system replacement projects to the list for design and construction funding through Ohio’s Water Supply Revolving Loan Account. Having a project on the list means it will be considered for WSRLA funding.

With the Amsterdam nomination in hand, commissioners approved the loan agreement — just under $915,576, which includes nearly $44,000 for contingencies — to cover engineering and design for the Amsterdam project.

Andrew Dawson of Arcadis, the district’s engineering consultant, said nominating a project “gets you on the list for funding” and is just the first step. “Once an application is approved, we’ll work on getting agreements signed,” he said.

Also nominated for funding were the Hammondsville water tank rehabilitation and state Route 213 bypass.

The bypass must be completed before ODOT repairs a slip between Knoxville and Pleasant Hills. “It could be a major undertaking,” Eroshevich said. “The estimate is up to $1 million.”

Commissioners also:

• Signed a lease with Cheyenne Realty for the old title office space on South Third Street across from the courthouse, paving the way for the prosecutor’s office to move in. Prosecutors currently are housed in the Justice Center but have had problems with inmates intentionally flooding the offices with sewage water.

• At Auditor E.J. Conn’s request, agreed to reallocate $251,897 in permissive debt funds to cover an upcoming USDA bond payment for the sewer department. Conn had said the sewer fund “currently does not have an adequate unencumbered balance to allow for the transfer of funds to meet the debt requirements and to continue current operations without potentially incurring a deficit unencumbered balance in the near future.”

• Rescinded a motion to declare an emergency regarding plans to purchase a new, countywide phone system, saying it became clear that the project doesn’t meet the requirements to be treated as an emergency. Once that resolution was rescinded, commissioners agreed to advertise for bids for a phone system.

• Accepted revisions to the Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District’s stormwater management plan. The changes, which were mandatory, incorporated language requiring secondary containment structures for salt brine storage tanks and updating forms used in routine inspections and reviews.