ST. CLAIRSVILLE — The Belmont County board of commissioners addressed infrastructure and plans for next winter at its most recent meeting.

Belmont County will once again participate in the Ohio Department of Transportation’s road salt contract for salt purchases in 2023. This winter season was relatively tame, and Belmont County Engineer Terry Lively said his office would purchase enough salt to recoup losses.

“You voluntarily sign up to be part of the state purchasing of the salt, and you have to tell them in advance how many tons that you want to buy, so what we did this year, we just turned that in, we just replaced what we used this past winter, which wasn’t very much,” he said. “We’re buying less salt next year because of the mild winter this year, so that’s going to save us some money. … We won’t take delivery of that salt until late this year and early next year, so our stockpiles are pretty good right now.”

His office will know the cost later in the year.

“They haven’t bid it out yet for next year, but generally speaking the state gets a better price than individual counties could bid out and get,” Lively said. “You can go up to 10% under or up to 10% over that number, based on the winter you’re having. You might want to buy a little more, a little less. They give you a little bit of flexibility.”

According to Dustin Roe, clerk at the road supervisor garage, the county used about 2,000 tons of mixed material this winter.

“The only pure salt we put down is around the (Ohio Valley) Mall. Everything else is a mix of salt, cinders and grit,” Roe said. The county staff mixes the salt with other material to make it last longer.

Roe said during the 2021-22 winter the county used about 4,300 tons, or double last winter.

“It’s hard to say. Last winter wasn’t a bad winter, but it was enough little snows that we were out multiple times. Just because there isn’t any big snowstorms doesn’t mean we’re not using a bunch of material,” Roe said. “I would say on average that every time we go out to treat, we’re probably using about 175 tons of material.”

There are currently 2,800 tons of salt stockpiled in the county.

The commissioners also heard again from Ron Graham, president of the York Township Board of Trustees, inquiring if the commissioners would consider paying 10% of a $189,850 slip repair project. The commissioners had advised the township to contact the Ohio Public Works Commission, which will fund the other 90%.

Graham believes a county project exacerbated the problem in October of last year on York Township Road 132, or Little Captina Road. The commissioners have considered that there had been prior movement under the earth in that area.

Commissioner Jerry Echemann said Commissioner J.P. Dutton was out of the office that week and the three commissioners wanted to discuss the issue first.

“I realize it’s not the kind of thing that can be dragged out or should be dragged out,” he said. “We’ve not reached a final decision yet on how to proceed.”

Graham said bids would be opened on April 15. He asked if the commissioners would attend the township’s 7 p.m. April 18 meeting at the York Township Hall west off Belmont County 148 in the Powhatan Point area.

Echemann said he hoped the decision would be soon.

“Why can’t we make a decision?” Graham asked. He inquired if American Rescue Plan funding the county had received could be used for the project. Afterward Echemann said the commissioners would look into requirements for those funds’ use.

Graham also said the county water and wastewater department intends to place a waterline in the area without first obtaining an easement. Commissioner Josh Meyer said since both the township and the commissioners share the same legal counsel – the prosecutor’s office – they may have to seek outside legal counsel.