LISBON — Columbiana County commissioners approved another step in the process for construction of a new county garage complex expansion for the county engineer.

On Tuesday, the board authorized the president, Commissioner Mike Halleck, to sign the American Institute of Architects standard agreement between the property owner, which is the county, and the design-build firm, C. Tucker Cope & Associates, Inc. of Columbiana.

Just last week, Columbiana County Engineer Bert Dawson announced receiving $1.5 million in federal funds for the new project. The funding came from the United State Department of Agriculture Rural Development. The commissioners provided American Rescue Plan Act funding of $1 million in seed money for the local match needed to secure the federal funds.

Plans call for demolition of the old open space structure, which dates back to the 1930s, for construction of a new enclosed garage to store plow trucks. The contract for the design/build contract was awarded to C. Tucker Cope & Associates in March for $1,388,106.

The new building has been described as “a 188-foot by 80-foot pre-engineered metal building for vehicle storage with climate-controlled environment, fire protection sprinkler system, reinforced concrete floors, 15 bays with doors and openers, and insulated metal wall panels.”

Construction is expected to begin in January.

In other business, commissioners gave permission for Dawson to advertise for bids for supplies for 2025, including slag, gravel, crushed limestone and ice control material in one bid and then a separate bid for gasoline, diesel fuel and kerosene. Bids for both will be opened at 9 a.m. Nov. 27.

The commissioners also followed the recommendation of Columbiana County Department of Job and Family Services Director Rachel Ketterman and approved the hiring of DeAnna Greier of Hanoverton and Jordan Lansdowne of East Palestine as eligibility referral specialists in the public assistance division. She said the department is still short of eligibility referral specialists and still short of employees in the children services division.

The next meeting of the county commissioners will be held at 9 a.m. Nov. 13 in the downtown courthouse.