LISBON — Columbiana County commissioners last week accepted the 2024 estimated certificate of resources, with Commissioner Mike Halleck saying they’ll need to cut about $2.6 million from department requests before approving next year’s general fund appropriations.

“Anybody that wants to come in and plead their case is more than welcome,” he said, with plans to likely approve next year’s spending limits by the first part of December.

Commissioners will look at past spending and make sure appropriations are in line with what’s available.

“We address needs, not wants,” Halleck said.

The total certificate of resources approved by the county Budget Commission was more than $65 million, which includes the more than $23 million for the general fund, plus special revenue funds, capital projects, debt service, internal services, agency and enterprise funds.

In other business, Halleck said work was beginning this week on the beautification of the parking lot where the county Board of Elections building used to stand off of Park Avenue. There will be plantings and the area will be cleaned up. Work started Monday. The county Municipal Court parking lot will be redone also in the coming weeks.

Commissioners selected the Community Action Agency of Columbiana County as the administrative agency for the Lead Safe Ohio Program funded through an $897,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Development.

The county had applied for the funds last month and sent out a request for qualifications, receiving RFQs from two different entities, CAA and the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation. CAA already handles the Community Housing Impact and Preservation program for the county. The program will provide lead safe renovations, lead abatement, relocation assistance while lead work is being performed, equipment purchases and supportive services.

The commissioners accepted and approved the dedication of property owned by St. Clair Township to be used for Columbia Drive, a brand new road connecting state Route 170 to McGuffey Drive. Commissioner Tim Weigle noted the county contributed $250,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds towards the road project.

In other matters, commissioners authorized county Engineer Bert Dawson to purchase a property across from the county garage at 300 S. Market St., Lisbon. Dawson said the department will use the building for painting, body work and repairs on trucks. The commissioners also authorized Dawson to sign various applications for funding for the 2024 construction season, renewed the equal opportunity police statement for the engineer and reappointed Tad Herold to the Eastern Ohio Development Alliance Board of Directors.

Following the recommendations of county Department of Job and Family Services Director Rachel Ketterman, the commissioners approved the hiring of eligibility referral specialists in public assistance Alannah Boyd and Olivia Smith, both of East Liverpool, Brent Drysdale of Wellsville, Kaitlynn Irey of Minerva and Samantha Veitz of Lisbon.

CCDJFS contracts approved for Oct. 1, 2023 through Sept. 30, 2024 were: Clerk of Courts for child support enforcement agency initiated judgment entries, $83,236 ceiling; Common Pleas Court, magistrate services CSEA , $144,000 ceiling; Juvenile Court, magistration services CSEA, $345,574 ceiling; county Prosecuting Attorney, legal service CSEA, $263,631 ceiling; county Prosecutor, investigative services, $53,000 ceiling memorandum of understanding; county Family and Children First Council, assessments, no ceiling, memorandum of understanding.

Bonnie Crook was named as a public guardian from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, 2023 with a ceiling of $500.

Amendments approved for contracts included: $10,000 increase in Smith Oil gasoline vouchers ceiling, bringing new total for $41,000 through Sept. 30; $27,000 increase for school shoe program for Shoe Department, bringing new total to $109,500; $23,000 increase for school shoe program for She Sensation, bringing new total to $90,500; and $1,681 increase for Ozer Ministries domestic violence/family violence support services, bringing total ceiling to $39,161.

The next commissioner meeting will be 9 a.m. Wednesday at the downtown courthouse.

mgreier@mojonews.com