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STEUBENVILLE -- Jefferson County commissioners made it clear Thursday they are not comfortable paying nearly $751,000 owed to Johnson Controls for a water meter replacement project without assurances taxpayers in the Edison Local School District will not be left responsible for damage caused to the district's gymnasium.
Commissioners approved payment of two invoices totaling just over $272,374 but tabled action on a larger invoice until Assistant Prosecutor Shawn Blake can review Edison Superintendent Bill Beattie's proposal to withhold at least $500,000 from Johnson Controls while a subrogation claim is pursued.
Beattie said the district's insurer provided funding to repair the damage while officials determine which of the three companies involved in the meter replacement project should be held responsible.
Johnson Controls, the project's general contractor, hired subcontractor PMI to complete the meter replacements. Officials said PMI replaced the meter at the fieldhouse in January, but after service was restored, a backflow preventer valve began leaking.
Neither PMI nor Johnson Controls are certified to perform work on backflow systems, so the district contacted Koorsen Fire & Safety, a company that had previously worked with the district, to make repairs.
After water service was restored and contractors left, the county's water department was notified that the "meter blew off," causing thousands of gallons of water to spill onto the gymnasium floor.
Commissioners expressed frustration that no company has accepted responsibility for the damage, though they have been told the matter is being handled through the proper legal channels.
"It's been several months, they've kind of been going back and forth and nobody's accepting responsibility, that's where I'm at," Commissioner Eric Timmons said. "If we feel like it, we can pay it next week. I think we have paid several invoices -- we had a lot outstanding there when we started paying, but we're about (paid up), all we have left is the $750,952."
Commissioner Jake Kleineke said he had concerns about the project from the beginning.
"I didn't like it from the beginning," Kleineke said.
Water Superintendent Jonathan Sgalla told commissioners the tabled invoice and the two approved Thursday likely would have brought the county up to date on payments.
Commissioner Tony Morelli said he would like Arcadis Engineering consultant Andrew Dawson to attend the Aug. 6 commissioners meeting to provide an update on the project.
"It's a big, multimillion issue, there's going to be lawsuits, I would think," Morelli said. "Something must have come up (for him not to be present)."
Commissioners also:
-- Approved a $6,250 quarterly invoice from the Sycamore Youth Center for prevention and resiliency services for children and families in Jefferson County, along with $15,000 for the Resource Network. Funds for both will come from the county's Opioid Settlement account.
Morelli noted the county recently received more than $70,000 from the settlement administrator, but the funds can only be used for approved purposes, including treatment, prevention, recovery support and harm reduction programs.
"I say it all the time, we earned that money in the wrong way so we really try to guard it and get it to where it needs to go ... people died from overdoses," Morelli said.
-- Authorized United Electric of Wheeling to repair an electrical issue that affected a generator designed to maintain county network infrastructure during power outages.
Auditor E.J. Conn said the issue was caused by "an unbalanced load among the three phases of electric in the courthouse." United Electric will be paid $750 for the repairs.
-- Agreed to schedule a viewing before deciding whether to vacate a portion of Barbara Avenue in Richmond.
-- Accepted a resolution approving amounts and rates determined by the budget commission and authorized the necessary tax levies.
-- Renewed Steel Valley Diversified's lease in the Tower building.
-- Entered executive session to discuss the possible lease of county property and possible lease or purchase of county property.