WOODSFIELD — The Monroe County Soil and Water Conservation District announced it will hold an outdoor event for the community in October.

The Family Outdoor Day is set for Oct. 10 at the Ohio River Locks and Dam in Duffy. The event is free and includes a fishing course, fishing derby, kayak raffle and hunting and trapping education course. The event is sponsored by the Monroe SWCD and Broken Timber Outdoor Education LLC.

Katie Kovaly, district program administrator of the Monroe SWCD, spoke about the upcoming event during Monday’s Monroe County Board of Commissioners’ meeting.

“We have an outdoor education day scheduled for Oct. 10. It’s free. We’re doing Passport to Fishing, a program by Broken Timber. Each kid that participates in Passport to Fishing will get a free fishing pole,” she said.

The fishing course introduces beginning children ages 5-17 to necessary skills and techniques.

Those interested in the participating in the class must register by calling 740-472-5477.

Broken Timber Outdoor Education Center will also have an inflatable BB gun and archery range available, Kovaly said.

The events begin at 10 a.m. with the Passport to Fishing class followed by a fishing derby for children and adults and hunting and trapping education, both from noon to 3 p.m.

Kovaly also spoke to Commissioners Carl Davis, Mick Schumacher, and Tim Price regarding the SWCD’s new building. The department is still working toward moving into their new facility located at the fairgrounds in Woodsfield.

“The building, it’s been set up on the foundation and welded to the beams so we are ready to go. We are currently waiting on the entrance to be built,” she said.

The department is awaiting an estimate on the cost of the new entrance which will be wheelchair accessible, she said.

Kovaly said they do not yet have a scheduled move date set but they plan to hold an open house when the facility is complete.

“We’re working on it (date for move). Hopefully we’ll have an open house when that happens, depending on COVID-19 restrictions,” she said.

In other county news, Jeanette Schwall, director of the Monroe County Department of Job and Family Services, spoke to commissioners via teleconference about the possibility of her department receiving additional Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act funding. Schwall said she would like to install automatic flush toilets in the restrooms, and automatic lights and faucets in the restrooms and kitchen.

“That way there would be a lot less touching of things in the common areas,” she said.

The county has approximately $221,000 CARES Act funding remaining of the $280,000 it received in June.

Davis told Schwall to go ahead with getting estimates for the possible upgrades.

“Anything like that, that encourages or prevents cross contamination. According to the webinar we had Friday, it’s (CARES Act funding) a lot more liberal than we originally thought,” Davis said.

Schwall said the DJFS is looking to reopen to the public in mid-September and would like to have all the virus preventive measures in place prior to reopening. The department has already installed hand sanitizing stations and a device that reads people’s temperatures when they enter the building, she said.

“I think that that (automatic flush toilets, lights and faucets) will really enhance the ability to be touchless,” she said.

Schwall said she would inform commissioners once she receives pricing for the potential facility upgrades.

Davis said that commissioners should look at possibly doing similar upgrades at the courthouse as well.