WEDNESDAY PROVED a profitable day for Belmont County.

That is when the Ohio Public Works Commission District 18 Executive Committee announced its “Issue II” funding allocations. Belmont County did quite well.

The county was targeted to receive more than $940,000 in grant money and an additional $631,192 in a 30-year interest free loan.

As a result, three local projects will benefit greatly.

The funding windfall is due largely to the meticulous work Belmont County officials donated to the application process, as well as the worthiness of the projects themselves.

The “Issue II’ allotments will prove a major shot-in-the-arm to the Neffs sewer project, a Barnesville sanitary sewer project and a county bridge replacement.

The Neffs project will get the lion’s share of the money, more than a million dollars. It would go a long way in helping a project years in the making.

Two county officials were singled out for their thorough and capable work in the application process. Sanitary Sewer District Director Mark Esposito and Project Manager Kelly Porter drew rave reviews from Commissioner Chuck Probst for their efforts to secure the funding. We echo Commissioner Probst’s sentiments.

The money will expedite work on key projects that otherwise may have been cast into limbo.

All the Belmont County officials who had a hand in the Issue II process should be feeling a sense of pride and accomplishment.

As Commissioner Matt Coffland noted after the announcement, “It was a good day — it was a very good day.”

We wholeheartedly agree.