County accepts grants for road, bridge projects

By DORIS COOK - Staff Writer
Star Beacon

July 09, 2008 12:16 am

— JEFFERSON — Ashtabula County commissioners accepted a $300,000 grant Tuesday from the Ohio Public Works Commission for bridge and several road improvement projects.
County Engineer Tim Martin, through the commissioners, applied for the state funds.
The money will be used for some of the expenses in rebuilding the State Road Covered Bridge and roadwork. Other projects include a total replacement of a bridge over Fields Brook in Ashtabula Township, improvements to Stanhope-Kelloggsville Road in Williamsfield Township and Clay Street in Geneva Township.
Total cost of the projects is estimated at $830,500. The difference between the OPWC grant will be taken from the motor vehicle and gasoline taxes available for the county engineering department. The board also approved the department’s use of motor vehicle gas tax funds to cover $4,937 of the initial cost for the application to replace a bridge on Callendar Road. The bridge spans the Grand River. Deputy county engineer LeRoy McNeilly said the project requires several environmental clearances, which cost $24,689.
In other business, the commissioners accepted a grant and low-interest loan totaling $449,900 from the Ohio Public Works Commission for replacement of a pump station on Route 534. The grant is for $299,900 and the rest is the loan, commissioners said.
In addition, the commissioners approved a lease for a new telephone system to be used by the county’s Veteran Services Commission in Ashtabula. The three-year contract totals $11,533, payable in monthly installments. Once the lease ends with Dollar Leasing Corp. of Cleveland, VSC can buy the system for $1. The agreement covers equipment, installation, programming and training of users.