ST. CLAIRSVILLE — The smooth operation of the election process in Belmont County was discussed during the commissioners’ weekly meeting Wednesday.

Martins Ferry resident Richard Hord praised the Belmont County Board of Elections for its diligence during Tuesday’s general election.

“Per usual they do an excellent job for every election, but you hear things the last few years about people questioning integrity. But I don’t think there’s anything to question in most places, but especially in Belmont County. They’re just really on top of everything and take it very seriously and are very professional,” Hord said.

He added that he participated in the first week of early voting and although it was busy at the board of elections office, the process was conducted without a hitch.

Commissioner Jerry Echemann added that he tried to cast his ballot on the final day of early voting, but there was a long line so he left.

“I’m not the kind of person to wait in line, and that’s not a knock on the elections board. That just shows how popular it’s all becoming. So I just went away, but it was all orderly and done right. There was just a lot of people there on Sunday,” Echemann said. “Ironically I voted yesterday (Tuesday) in (Martins) Ferry and I went right in. I had like one person in front of me.”

He added that he isn’t telling residents to vote one way or another. He just wants to encourage people to vote, regardless of whether they do it on Election Day or before.

Hord had other questions for the board during the meeting’s open public forum. He asked if the commissioners could provide any information regarding the potential for the Belmont County Coroner’s Office to have a permanent location. Echemann responded that the coroner’s office will be included in the future health department and records building.

“As far as we know, the Belmont County coroner has never had an office besides their doctor’s office, and that was how it was always done,” he added. “The coroner will have an office as well as a nice little meeting room where they can sit with the families. It should be really nice.”

Previous discussions of the construction plans have indicated the county also will establish a morgue at the site of the new building.

Hord also asked commissioners if they could provide an update on when or if the Blaine Hill Bridge on U.S. 40 will reopen.

In early August the Ohio Department of Transportation closed the bridge to all traffic due to ongoing safety concerns. Before ODOT officials fully closed the bridge, it was closed only to westbound traffic with one eastbound lane remaining open. However, ODOT and law enforcement officials said some drivers were choosing to ignore the traffic restrictions and traveling west in the eastbound lane, which led to the need for a total closure.

Commissioner J.P. Dutton responded to Hord, saying that his question should be addressed to ODOT. He added that commissioners don’t have any additional information other than what Belmont County residents have, but he believes it will be several months at least before repairs or alternate plans can be made.

Meanwhile, the board passed several motions.

Echemann moved to grant permission for one commissioner to travel to Zanesville, Ohio, on Nov. 8, for county Department of Job and Family Service Director Jeff Felton to travel to Columbus on Nov. 17-18 and for one DJFS employee to travel to Lewis Center, Ohio, from Dec. 12-13. The motion was unanimously approved.

Echemann then moved to accept the proposal for a record management and imaging system with the GovOS operating system, on behalf of the Belmont County Recorder Jason Garczyk. The company would be paid monthly at the rate of $3.90 per document filed into the CountyFusion system. Echemann added that the estimated first-year expenses will be $46,608.

“The monthly rate per document will increase by 5% yearly,” Echemann said. “This will be paid from the recorder’s S78 Technology Fund.”

The motion was unanimously approved, and Echemann later explained that Garczyk will be digitizing county records and making them available to the public online.

Commissioner Josh Meyer then made a motion for Echemann to sign the authorization to prepare a quote from AT&T in the non-refundable amount of $500 for the development and engineering preparation for the special construction estimate to relocate existing facilities for the future health department and records building.