T-L Photo/ROBERT A. DEFRANK Inmates from Belmont Correctional Institution are back at work in the community performing turf management community service projects after the prison was hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic earlier this year.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Inmates from Belmont Correctional Institution are back at work on landscaping projects in local communities.

This past week, a small crew was at work on the Belmont County Fairgrounds, helping to prepare for the Junior Fair next week.

Like many other activities, the landscaping and community service work had been curtailed by the coronavirus pandemic. The prison was hit hard during the early weeks of the outbreak and was described as a “hot spot” of infection by the state.

The illness became widespread at the facility due to high numbers of inmates in close proximity at the 2,500-inmate facility. Ohio National Guard and Ohio State Highway Patrol personnel were called in to assist at the prison after high numbers of staff members became infected. Nine inmates who contracted the virus have died.

The disease is apparently under control at the prison now. Michael Sechrest, program instructor for Ohio Central School Systems which covers all of the state’s prisons, said inmates and staffers were happy to restart the outreach and community service project program.

“We just got approved two weeks ago to come back out into the community, so we just started back up,” he said, adding that crews are also working with the Ohio Department of Transportation picking up trash on area interstates, while his turf management crew has begun work with the fairground as one of its first projects.

Sechrest currently has five people on a crew.

“We’re at half-capacity,” he said, adding that officials hope to be up to full capacity by the end of the year.

He said since the fair will be held on a smaller scale than in previous years, his crew’s work is also less extensive.

“Basically we’re just concentrating at the barn area, being it’s going to be only the junior fair this year — not really working around the midway portion,” he said.

He added this effort provides inmates not only a chance to get out and work in varied surroundings, but also an educational program. The one-year turf and landscape management vocational course will get the inmates certifications and skills they can use upon release.

“For my program, it’s been normal since they got back, other than the social distancing and wearing masks,” he said. “We’re still doing the same work.”

They are looking over other possible projects during this pandemic.

“We’re only really choosing projects that are minimal civilian contact — more secluded community service projects than normal,” he said. “We’re not going to be in the middle of town.”

Sechrest said all inmates must test negative for COVID-19 before working in the community. The inmates will follow state guidelines while they continue projects. He expects the inmates to complete 400 hours of work this year, compared to the normal 750.

For more information about the labor program, call 740-695-5169.