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LISBON -- A Columbiana County engineer's project to replace and rehabilitate manholes along Dresden Avenue in St. Clair Township received the go-ahead from commissioners to seek bids for the first phase of work.
Commissioners on Wednesday authorized the engineer advertising for bids, which will be opened at 9 a.m. Aug. 19 at the engineer's office.
Chief Deputy Sanitary Engineer Troy Graft explained that hydrogen sulfide gas from the sewer was traveling up the line along Dresden and eating the concrete for the manholes, causing at least two to collapse which had to be replaced in emergency jobs two years ago.
The plan is to replace 40-plus manholes and to spray on a thick epoxy liner on the inside wall that's resistant to sewer gas.
"It's going to shield the concrete," Graft said.
This will be a multi-year project, possibly in three phases, with plans calling for 17 to 20 manholes in the first phase, starting at the state Route 170 end of Dresden and traveling south.
"We'll keep on truckin' down the hill," he said.
When the issue was discovered, the engineer's department decided to be proactive and come up with a way to fix all the manholes, with Graft saying that the manholes are in different degrees of condition.
An Ohio Public Works Commission grant has already been lined up for the work which requires a 15% local match.
He's hoping the work can begin in October or November and should only last a month. Traffic will be maintained during construction.
In other business during recent meetings, commissioners approved the notice to proceed for Dynamic Structures Construction Inc. of New Waterford for work on the East Palestine Train Depot Renovation project, which is expected to begin soon. The project for rehabilitation and expansion will include new utilities and service connections, electrical, HVAC, plumbing, bathrooms, kitchen installation, insulation, floor improvements, exterior drainage and sidewalk replacement, building expansion and concrete patios.
Last month, commissioners awarded the contract to Dynamic Structures, the company which submitted the lowest bid for $889,545. Project Coordinator Haedan Panezott of the county Port Authority said last week that a pre-construction meeting was planned for this week.
The Port Authority is serving as administrator of the $250,000 state grant awarded toward the project cost from the Target of Opportunity Program Community Development Block Grant through the Ohio Department of Development and is overseeing the project. Strollo Architects is the design firm designing and handling the project.
Besides the grant, other funding will come from the East Palestine Community Improvement Corporation, which owns the train depot, and from the tenant, Black Diamond Brewery & Distillery. The project is expected to take four to six months for construction.
The commissioners recently approved agreements to amend the sublease with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation for the former jail on Market Street which is home to the community-based Eastern Ohio Corrections Center. EOCC Executive Director Phillip Nunes explained to commissioners that the state had an unexpected windfall of money, with $81,345 in capital funds awarded to complete capital improvements to the EOCC in Lisbon, which houses women. The money was used to replace the restroom ventilation, hot water tank, an interior door and garbage disposal. Nunes said the new door was added to improve security and enhance access to the kitchen area.
"You're taking good care of that building. We appreciate it," Commissioner Mike Halleck told Nunes.
The commissioners also: granted permission to hunt on the county's County Home Road property to Kanton Duvall, Breann Barnes, Christian Barnes, Christina Warner, Glenn Warner, Darryl Quensenberry, Larry Lucas, Eric Ivan Jr., Garrett Polosky and Donald Quales Jr.; appointed Eileen Dray Bardon to a new three-year term on the county Visitors Bureau: and granted permission for the county engineer to advertise for bids for sodium chloride rock salt, with bids to be opened Aug. 5.
The next meeting of commissioners will be held at 9 a.m. July 29 in the downtown courthouse in Lisbon.