WOODSFIELD ­– Monroe County commissioners received updates on a couple projects that have been in the works for the past few years — the Knowlton Covered Bridge restoration project and the Ohio & Lee sewer project.

The restoration of the Knowlton Covered Bridge has been in the works even prior to its collapse in 2019. After it fell into the river below, officials focused on working to rebuild the bridge, which meant revising the original design work and securing the funding needed. The nearly $1 million project is now fully funded through the Ohio Department of Transportation with the county contributing around 110 trees to use as lumber to rebuild the span.

Ron Mattox, program director for Woolpert Inc., an engineering company hired to aid in the rehabilitation project, met with Commissioners Mick Schumacher, Bill Bolon and Diane Burkhart via teleconference Monday. Mattox said the design work is “moving ahead” and will be completed by the end of this month. Once the plans are complete, ODOT will review the plans. Once the design is approved, it can go out for bid, he said.

Mattox asked Schumahcer how quickly the timber can be harvested. Schumacher responded that he would like to hire Rudy Christian, a timber specialist out of Burbank who previously assisted the county with identifying usable timber for the project, to oversee the milling of the timber. He said Christian is currently working on another project but should be back in the area in around four weeks. Mattox said Christian would make a reliable consultant as he would know the quality of the timber being harvested and stored.

A start date for the project is still unknown at this time, Schumacher said.

“I’d like to see it start this year but I don’t know how long it will take; if there’s someone who bids on it. Last time we only had one bid and it was 40 percent over the estimate,” he said.

When the project was originally put out for bid in 2018, only one bid was received for the project which was 40 percent above the engineer’s estimate so it was declined and the project was put on hold.

Schumacher said he is hopeful that they will receive additional bids within the engineers estimate this time around.

Commissioners also discussed the Ohio & Lee sewer project which involves the installation of four treatment systems in three communities where the Ohio & Lee Water & Sewer company serves in Ohio and Lee townships. The estimated $34 million project will provide residents in Sardis, Hannibal and Duffy with wastewater systems which are currently lacking in the area. Officials are working to secure funding for the project through a variety of sources including the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Ohio Water Development Authority, Ohio Public Works Commission and the Community Development Block Grant program. In the meantime, property owners each have individual septic tanks to manage the sewage from their homes.

Christopher Hunt, president of Hunt Engineering, a company hired by Ohio & Lee to assist with the project, met with commissioners via teleconference to discuss the project and potential locations for the new systems — two of which will be located in Sardis, one in Duffy, and one in Hannibal.

The project will be broken up into two phases with the first focusing on the installation of the septic plants in Sardis. The cost for phase one is estimated at around $11 million. Hunt said one possible location for a facility is at the former Sardis Elementary School baseball field which is no longer utilized. He said they will have to go “take a look” at another area to evaluate additional potential locations for the second plant, one of which will be located on the north side of the community and the other will be constructed on the south side.

Schumacher inquired as to whether Mattox has experienced resistance from the community in similar projects since some people have purchased their own individual tanks. Mattox said in the past, he has had some resistance from homeowners, mainly those who had recently purchased new tanks.

“The reality is that’s just the way it’s going to be. There’s always someone that’s got the newest tank, but usually they’re the easiest ones to convince because they know how expensive it costs to install that gear,” he said.

Mattox added that most people are agreeable to the installation of a new sewer system so long as it does not cost them anything. He also noted that every home in the sewer district must connect to the new system once it’s installed.

Mattox said they will submit the application next month for potential funding through the Ohio EPA’s Water Pollution Control Fund. Officials are hoping to secure the necessary funds to move the project forward.