Jefferson County commissioners, YSU in discussions over branch campus

MOVING FORWARD — The Jefferson County commissioners, from left, Eric Timmons, Tony Morelli and Jake Kleineke, said during Thursday's meeting that they were moving forward with plans for the former campus of Eastern Gateway Community College. -- Linda Harris
STEUBENVILLE — The Jefferson County commissioners confirmed during Thursday’s meeting that they have been in discussions with Youngstown State University to bring a branch campus to the former Eastern Gateway Community College facility on Sunset Boulevard.
It’s news that comes after the commissioners filed a motion in Common Pleas court that would allow them to exercise the reverter clause on the property, which would return it to the county’s control. That hearing has been scheduled for September.
Commissioners reiterated that they want to use the property for education, though they likely will use some of the acreage to bring in a business or a restaurant that will generate sustaining revenue, since the county will be paying for upkeep on the property if the motion is granted.