Harrison commissioners move meeting, table generator bid

A meeting scheduled at the Harrison County Home was moved back to the courthouse and the board’s regular meeting room for the commissioners’ Feb. 18 meeting due to illnesses at the home. The board noted several weeks ago it wanted to move some meetings to other locations as a change of pace.

Commissioner Dustin Corder announced only one bid was received for uninstalling the old County Home’s generator and installing the new one. The lone bid was from Conrad and Sons Electric in the amount of $98,000. The bid was tabled for further discussion with Corder later expressing his disappointment of just one bid.

“I think that anytime you get one bid on a project it’s not only surprising, it’s disappointing,” Corder said. “We’re constantly reading about the economy and how things are going and we have projects available for companies to bid on and we receive one bid.”

Also, an appropriation was approved for the ongoing Freeport Sanitary system project in the amount of $127,223.06. The board also approved the total appropriation amount of $8,953.34 for P.E.R.S., Medicare and workers comp. It was noted that the VOCA grant had been awarded for the Victim Assistant Coordinator position for the term stretching from Oct. 1, 2025 to Sept. 30, 2026.

Agreement 10-26, between the county commissioners and Hammontree & Associates was approved for a bridge inspection program within Harrison County. It was noted there are 185 structures and “Notification of the County Engineer where rapid deterioration or dangerous conditions exist so that necessary action can be taken.”

Cross referencing will also take place for matching previous inspection reports for identifying previous changes in condition of bridges as an example of just some of the duties. The fee announced was $32,500.

The board also approved of Resolution 10-26 for the purposes of appointing the Transportation Improvement District’s board of trustees. The five voting members are Brandi Simmons, Amy Norris, Jody Hyde, Nick Homrighausen and Kevin Jones.

And in a letter of support from the board for showing their support for the joint initiative between the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District and the Stillwater Watershed Partners for completing critical flood-mitigation as well as stream restoration along the Stillwater Creek.

“The Harrison County Commissioners recognize both the urgency and the long-term value of this initiative,” the letter stated. “According to findings presented to our board, removal of the remaining 18 log jams and five abandoned bridge piers could reduce flood levels by more than one foot across the creek and up to 4.5 feet in certain localized areas.”