STEUBENVILLE — Jefferson County commissioners agreed last week to dip into their OneOhio drug settlement money to help fund an afterschool program that aims to keep kids off the street — and off drugs.

Commissioners awarded the Sycamore Youth Center $25,000 to help cover costs associated with its after-school and summer programs after being advised by Prevention and Recovery Board Executive Director Bill Holt that it met the OneOhio requirements, which includes prevention strategies and education — which is exactly what the Sycamore Center program aims to do.

There’s currently a little over $830,000 in Jefferson County’s OneOhio account, it’s share of the settlement money from the pharmaceutical industry for its role in the national opioid epidemic.

“We’re running multiple programs right now with those funds,” Holt said. “One of the things I look at with (them) is sustainability — I want to make sure any programs the board is funding are community programs built to last and built to serve our community for the long-term. If we’re going to make the investment, let’s make sure they’re going to be around.”

Holt told commissioners the Sycamore Center’s comprehensive program “really, it checks all the boxes, adding he’d met with its president, Bobbyjon Bauman, to work the numbers. “What we did is we revised his budget and got a number that I think works,” Holt said.

Bauman said the OneOhio funding is crucial to carrying out the center’s after-school mission, which currently serves over 500 children.

“It’s important because without funding, we can’t feed the kids, we can’t put gas in the vans or heat the building (in winter),” he said. “Without this funding, we wouldn’t be able provide art supplies for our art classes or feed kids after school every single day. It takes money to run a program that has 64 after-school classes with over 100 volunteers. It’s very important to us because it takes funding to run programs.”

He said the programs mean a lot to the kids as well.

“Some of the kids that we have assisting us, they literally live in the neighborhoods that they’re handing the food out to, so they’re giving back to the people that they’re living with,” he said. “We’re hoping to kind of allow them to rise up where they become self-sufficient in the future. So that’s kind of our goal.”

Commissioners say they appreciate what Sycamore Center is doing for the kids and the community.

“The programs do mean a lot to these kids, I could see it in their faces when I was there,” Commisoner Eric Timmons said. “That’s what these types of programs are for, keeping kids off the streets.”

“It’s a good thing, keeping young people business and teaching them skills,” Commissioner Jake Kleineke said, adding he’s all for helping.

Commissioner Tony Morelli, who was unable to attend due to other county commitments, said OneOhio funding is “for treatment, prevention and education.”

“Sycamore does a good job keeping young people off the streets and showing them the right ways to act and live,” he said. “Sycamore certainly qualifies.”

Commissioners also agreed to provide $30,000 in OneOhio funds to support the Jefferson County Resource Network, a comprehensive, up-to-date list of the resources available to county residents in need of help. The funds will help maintain the momentum of this vital program,” Educational Service Center Superintendent Dr. Charles M. Kokiko said.

“The Resource Network just does a great job of connecting everybody with resources,” Holt said. “I think it’s a great use for those funds.”

Holt said the health department, commissioners and the Board of Developmental Disabilities all fund the network, “so it’s real a collaboration, with everything coming together to support this.”

Timmons said it’s “important people know who to contact for whatever they may need.”

“We are seeing the benefits of partnerships already,” he said.

Commissioners also:

• Accepted the 2026 proposed operating budget by fund.

Auditor E.J. Conn said the total 2026 projected operating budget is just under $155,118,746. The proposed general fund operating budget is almost $23,561, 476, based on estimated general fund revenue of $19,745,897.

• Celebrated a $140,087 2025 technology grant from the Supreme Court of Ohio to enhance e-filing capabilities and automated docketing for county courts.

“The new service will offer greater convenience to the public,” Clerk of Courts Andrew Plesich said in a letter notifying commissioners of the award. “Rather than having to deliver a filing to the court physically or make a trip to the post office, documents can be sent via a secure internet connection. E-filing will be made available, 24/7, allowing filings to occur outside of the court’s hours of operation.”

Once a filing is reviewed by a clerk it will automatically be added to the court’s online docket so it will be instantly available to the public, Plesich said, adding the new service will boost efficiency by reducing processing times compared to manual handling.

• Awarded the 2025 County Road 43 and township Ohio Public Works Commission resurfacing project to Shelly & Sands, Rayland, for $656,612. The engineer’s estimate was $819,668.

• Opened bids for Bergholz and Springfield township CDBG resurfacing project from Cast and Baker, Canonsburg, for slightly more than $196,039; NLS Paving, St. Clairsville, just under $172,566; and Shelly & Sands, $161,993. The engineer’s estimate was $171,403.