STEUBENVILLE –The Jefferson County Commissioners made it clear Thursday they’re focused on bringing educational opportunities back to the former Eastern Gateway Community College property — along with what they’re hoping will be one or two revenue-generating restaurants or other businesses somewhere on site.

Commissioners said Thursday Assistant Prosecutor Shawn Blake filed a motion this week asking Common Pleas Judge Michelle Miller to enforce the reverter clause built into the 1967 deed that had transferred ownership of the property from the county to the old Jefferson Technical Institute, forerunner to the now-defunct Eastern Gateway. The deed’s reverter clause specified that, should the property cease to be used for educational purposes, ownership would revert to Jefferson County.

Miller ruled in December that the commissioners “hold an enforceable reversionary interest” in the property but stayed action pending the outcome of a federal court case filed by the Student Resource Center, a one-time business partner of EGCC. That case was settled in June and both parties moved to dismiss the lawsuit.

With the federal litigation out of the way, Commissioner Tony Morelli said it’s time to move forward with reclaiming the land, located along Sunset Boulevard in the heart of Steubenville’s West End.

“They’re not offering classes right now,” Morelli said. “I toured it with some people a couple of weeks ago, I didn’t see anybody being educated and (they) didn’t, either. So, what does that mean? That means we now have a motion for summary (judgment.) There’ll be a hearing … and the judge will have to decide whether we get it back in the county’s name or (where) it stands. So, it’s the next step for what the county can do.”

Morelli also confirmed they’ve had “multiple conversations” with Youngstown State University officials aimed at locating a branch campus in Steubenville “and they are very much wanting to get into that building.”

“(YSU)’s been doing a lot of work, changing the curriculum, changing prices, to kind of meet what was offered by EGCC,” Morelli said. “So, we’ll have to see what happens Sept. 8.”

Commissioner Eric Timmons said the three of them are well aware of chatter on social media that the property’s already been sold or that all they want to do is sell it, which he said is far from the truth.

“We want to see education there — we don’t want to sell it,” Timmons emphasized. “Education is the big thing, we need that for economic development, and we’re keeping taxpayers in mind, keeping them at the forefront, as they should be. What we’ve been trying to do the whole time is look out for Jefferson County residents.”

While he admits they’ve discussed the possibility, Timmons said they “don’t want to see someone buy it and then (re-)sell it to a business not favorable to Jefferson County or have it sit there vacant for years.”

“That’s not what we want, that’s what we’ve been fighting against,” Timmons added. “So, it’s taken some time.”

Commissioner Jake Kleineke pointed out it “wasn’t easy” getting to this point, “but, hopefully for the citizens of Jefferson County and the surrounding areas, we’re going to have higher education.”

“We’re taking on a big risk, too,” he added. “We have to take care of that property now — it’s no longer the school’s fiscal responsibility to maintain the property once this reverter clause kicks in. It’s in our lap and it comes down to this: We have to manage it, we have to get someone in there as soon as possible, under the right circumstances, so they can take care of it.”

Morelli acknowledged a number of people have expressed interest in using at least some of the property for economic development.

“We have people calling, they want to develop it,” he said. “Ultimately, in my mind, the goal is to have higher education and then also do something for the community as far as restaurants.”