STEUBENVILLE — While they aren’t making any promises, Jefferson County Commissioners have said they’re going to try and find funds to augment the county engineer’s planned $300,000 downpayment on a new, 150-foot by 40-foot steel storage building that would get their expensive truck fleet and equipment out of the elements.

Engineer Eric Hilty is hoping commissioners will be able to match the $300,000 he said he’d freed up in his departmental budget for the downpayment without compromising operations and projects. He said Chief Deputy Engineer Clay Merrin had initially been in contact with a local company that put a $1.4 million price tag on the building of their dreams, but then located a nationally known company with a local constructor who could do the design build for just under $1.1 million.

Commissioners, though, are concerned about the numbers, pointing out they have major funding commitments already in place.

“I’d be willing to put something down to help out, I just don’t know (how much we can do),” Commissioner Eric Timmons said.

Commissioner Tony Morelli said that while he understands the need, “I don’t think we could write you a check right now.”

“I’m willing…to move forward, if we can do something without stretching the budget too far,” Morelli said, adding, “I just have the feeling $300,000 is not going to work when it’s all said and done…I’m not ready to make a commitment for $300,000 today, but I’m all for (the storage building).”

Hilty said their trucks currently are kept outdoors, with no protection from the sun and weather, and a lot of equipment and signs are stuffed in a storage area in their primary building.

“Beyond the fact that we need to get our equipment indoors and protect our fleet,” he said, “it will allow us to better assess conditions and do projects at our (primary building).”

Built in the mid-1980s, he said that building is starting to show its age. “We’re trying to keep up with it,” he said, “but in many ways we’ve outgrown our current footprint.”

“There’s never really a good time in our budget to squeeze something like this in…so we’re asking permission to work with the auditor’s office to look into financing options,” Hilty said, adding, “We’re willing and able to put down $300,000 but it would be great if you would match us, that way we’re over halfway there and it’s not going to (put us in a bind).”

The commissioners stressed they’re willing to look into it, but there’s no guarantee they can find that much fiscal wiggle room in the county’s budget.

“I like the idea of the building, I just want to make sure we have the down-payment money and I want to know where it will come from,” Timmons said, pointing out the building “will save us money in the long run by being able to keep our vehicles longer.”

“I am for trying to find $300,000 to help you make this work,” Morelli said. “But I want to talk to (the auditor), too.”

Commissioner Jake Kleineke also voiced concern that in trying to keep the equipment operable in cold weather the department currently has to wash the salt off the equipment in the primary building.

“There’s a lot of salt, it’s very corrosive,” he said. “All the overspray, soap and chemicals, is being distributed throughout the main building and it’s starting to take its toll on roof joists and anything metal in the building. So it’s just as important that we move (that process) outside the main building. A storage facility would be better suited (to that).”

And when they’re spending taxpayer dollars to acquire and maintain vehicles and equipment, Kleineke said it “doesn’t make sense to let it sit outside all the time.”

“But it’s a big ask, that’s a lot of money,” he said, “and we have a whole bunch of ‘asks’ right now…We don’t have that much money to spread around so we have to look at the big picture, see where we can help.”