ST. CLAIRSVILLE — The job of nurturing the young continues despite the coronavirus pandemic and on Wednesday, Belmont County Commissioners J.P. Dutton and Josh Meyer recognized August as National Breastfeeding Month.

Commissioner Jerry Echemann was unable to attend.

Kristen Parker, breastfeeding peer helper with the Women Infants and Children department, said 42 mothers are currently breastfeeding in Belmont County.

“We usually see around the higher 40s,” Parker said, adding that the COVID-19 outbreak is also impacting breastfeeding practices, since more mothers seem to be declining formula use.

“We have a lot of exclusives right now,” she said. “A lot of them are trying to breastfeed, at least try to do them both even if they can’t maintain a high milk supply. I think it’s just one of those things that made them realize how things can be hard to get at times, with the formula being short and not being able to find it in certain stores, I think a lot of people are taking breastfeeding into consideration more and more.”

She said mothers working from home also have more opportunity to breastfeed.

While WIC is no longer able to have breastfeeding classes, they are available by phone at 740-695-1202. Organizers hope to resume in-person classes after the pandemic.

Parker and registered nurses Lori Mehl and Linda Mehl added that some circumstances are more stressful for new mothers, such as the restrictions on area hospitals, but resources and support are available.

The commissioners also approved contracts for the right of entry on behalf of the county engineer’s department for temporary right-of-way for five parcels of property along Sand Hill Road in the Bellaire and Neffs area for the purpose of slip repair. Belmont County Engineer Terry Lively said a permanent right-of-way will later be acquired.

Lively said it was necessary to purchase about 10 feet of right-of-way and the negotiation and appraisal process was still ongoing. He said the Ohio Department of Transportation suggested a temporary agreement with the property owners until then. Lively said the work has been needed since 2019.

The commissioners approved an Ohio Public Works grant for paving and bridge deck repair on Glenns Run Road outside Martins Ferry. The county will receive $400,000. The project is 49-percent funded by the Ohio Public Works Commission and 51-percent by the motor vehicle gas tax. The total estimated project cost is $817,526.

Lively said the Glenn’s Run project is currently out to bid and bids would be open next week.

“The count’s trying to take advantage of every funding stream out there as it pertains to roads,” Dutton said. “There’s a long backlog of projects that need to be addressed, and there’s never enough funding to do all those projects, particularly not in the time frame people would like those projects done by.”