Photo/Andrew Grimm Jefferson County commissioners on Thursday approved a resolution honoring Herald-Star reporter Mark Law on his retirement after 36 years with the newspaper. Law, whose last day is today, covered the county beat for most of his time at the paper. Participating were, from left, Commissioner Tom Gentile, Law and Commissioners Thomas Graham and David Maple. Mingo Junction Village Council on Tuesday also presented Law with a resolution for his coverage of the village.

STEUBENVILLE — The five members of the airport zoning commission were appointed on Thursday by the Jefferson County commissioners.

The airport zoning commission will work to create restrictions on construction and land uses around the airport to protect the county-owned facility.

Commissioners last week created the airport zoning board, which by law, is the three commissioners.

The issue of the zoning was raised in response to a proposal to reopen the Crossridge Landfill. Greenway Reclamation of Garden City, N.Y., is proposing to reopen the landfill and make existing environmental remediations in exchange for the ability to accept a large amount of out-of-state waste.

Airport officials said an operating landfill close to the airport creates safety concerns because of the possibility that planes could hit birds, which are attracted to landfills. The end of the runway is about 4,500 feet from the landfill.

The five members of the zoning commission are Dr. Nicholas Mastros, a Cross Creek Township resident; Brandon Reese, county regional airport authority president; Lisa Naylor, a city resident employed by the Pittsburgh International Airport; Gary Folden, regional airport authority secretary; and Phil Bender, a pilot based at the airport.

The zoning commission will come back to the commissioners with proposed restrictions, a process county Commissioner David Maple said will take about six months. The commissioners have as templates zoning restrictions from airports across Ohio.

Commissioners approved several amendments to contracts awarded by the Jefferson County Job and Family Services Department to the county Community Action Council for employment training for youth, adults and dislocated workers.

Mike McGlumphy, CAC chief executive officer, said there are several dislocated workers but this is the first year the adult employment training doesn’t have a waiting list to be served because of the low unemployment rate in the county.

County Commissioner Tom Gentile said employers in the county are having a hard time finding workers. McGlumphy said an option being considered is bringing in workers from other counties.

Maple urged McGlumphy to work closely with other organizations doing similar training with adults and youth.

Commissioners asked Betty Lou Tarr, county regional planning commission director, to work with Toronto on transferring the administration of the Community Housing Improvement Program to the county. The county lost the administration of the program in 2010, and it was transferred to Toronto. Tarr said regional planning is capable of doing the work.

Commissioners approved attorney fees for indigent criminal defendants in the amount of $18,310 for January. The county will get an 80 percent reimbursement from the state for the fees.

Commissioners approved three road use maintenance agreements with Gulfport Appalachia for new well sites in the southern part of the county. Various county and township roads will be used for haul routes.

Gulfport will make improvements to the roads prior to well construction.

Commissioners agreed to advertise for bids on behalf of the engineer’s department for a slip repair on county Road 56. The estimate is $221,448.

Commissioners extended a general engineering agreement with Arcadis for two years for work with the county water and sewer department.

Arcadis has been doing engineering work for the county since 2010.