DISCUSSION — The Jefferson County commissioners discussed infrastructure issues during Thursday’s meeting. -- Linda Harris

STEUBENVILLE — Jefferson County Commissioners are hoping to collaborate with the City of Steubenville on a sewer line that would open their John Scott Highway property to development.

Steubenville Wastewater Superintendent Chuck Murphy met with commissioners Thursday behind closed doors to discuss the possibility, key to their plans to turn what is now a green space into a revenue-generating hub.

Murphy declined comment, and Commissioner Jake Kleineke said only that the meeting “was just one of probably many more.”

“We’ve been talking about developing the property,” Commissioner Tony Morelli added. “But nobody’s going to move there if they don’t have water and sewer, and that will be supplied by the city of Stephenville. It’s the next step.”

Commissioners have already had the property surveyed, and at last week’s meeting said they’d already been contacted by developers interested in the site.

In other business, Water and Sewer District Director Jonathan Sgalla submitted his resignation effective April 15, just two months after taking the job.

Sgalla said the promotion was a tremendous honor, but he’d decided to step down “after careful consideration and reflection on my long-term professional goals.”

“The decision was not made hastily,” he added. “I have given thoughtful consideration to both the timing and the responsibility that comes with this position.”

Commissioners said they’ll begin advertising for his successor.

Sgalla, meanwhile, also notified commissioners that Wayne Ruckman, wastewater treatment plant operator, and Justin Emery, equipment operator, had resigned. Commissioners authorized Sgalla to “begin the process” to replace the two. Should the openings be filled from within the union, he said they “would then advertise to (fill) that position.”

Commissioners also agreed to advertise for an operations supervisor-water.

“This would be a brand new position,” Sgalla said. “Currently we have one operation supervisor responsible for both. The county has grown significantly over the years. It’s a very overwhelming position for them.”

Commissioners authorized Auditor E.J. Conn to proceed with “the project financing process” for the engineering department’s new storage building. The county previously opted to issue bonds to finance construction of the building, which will house the department’s truck fleet and other equipment.

“It will be repaid over a five-year period,” Deputy Auditor Mike Warrens said. “It will technically be a bond issue, but the county will purchase that as an investment … you’ll still have to pay market rate interest just like you would a bank, but we’ll pay the interest to ourselves.”

Engineer Eric Hilty had earmarked a total of $500,000 from his department’s 2025 and 2026 budgets, leaving them with about $750,000 to finance over a five year period.

Commissioners also signed an agreement with Ohio Department of Transportation for replacement of the Cadiz Road traffic light and installing crosswalks.

Hilty said the federal government is picking up the tab for the $557,374 project, thanks to a grand secured through the Brooke-Hanc0ck-Jefferson Metropolitan Planning Commission.

With Youngstown State University preparing to open, to avoid confusion commissioners agreed to remove “Eastern Gateway” from a road sign on John Scott Highway. The fix will cost less than $1,000, they said.