‘Disappointing:’ County commissioners talk about bridge vandalism
The area where vandalism occured
The area where vandalism occured
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Washington County Commissioners learned about vandalism of a piece of local history during Thursday's commission meeting.
County Engineer Roger Wright gave the commissioners information about a Washington County covered bridge that was vandalized recently.
"(It's) disappointing," Wright said. "We went out to the Hills Covered Bridge two weeks ago, it's already been vandalized, it's already had graffiti."
Hills Covered Bridge, also known as Hildreth Covered Bridge, is located in Newport Township off SR 26 on Hills Bridge Road and runs over the Little Muskingum River. It was built in 1878 for $132,340. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places because of its local history and its historically significant Howe Truss design.
The bridge was closed in 2016 because of wood rot of the lower cord connection points due to flooding over the years. Repair work started on the bridge in the Fall of 2022 and was completed Nov. 21, 2023.
According to Wright in November 2023, the project featured replacement of deteriorated timber members within the lower chord, shear blocks in the lower chord, deteriorated diagonals at lower chord connections, lost and broken sway bracing, tension rods and broken tension rod castings, miscellaneous repair of deteriorated timber member members, a new roof system, siding, span decking and various protectants to the timber members.
The county worked for five years on getting the funding to fix the bridge and on the bridge work itself. Wright said during the commission meeting that the bridge repairs they did cost more than $1 million.
Most of the funding, about 95%, was from the federal Transportation Alternative program administered by the Ohio Department of Highways. The rest of the money, around 5%, was local money from the county and totaled approximately $130,000.
Since the completion of the repair work in November, the county has also put lights and cameras on the bridge. Wright said the cell service in the area is a little of a problem so what the county can do with cameras out there is moderate.
"If you want to enjoy the Hills Covered Bridge, I would do it sooner rather than later, because the vandals are back and they're going to basically tear that bridge back apart and I will not be fixing it," Wright said at the commission meeting. "The county cannot simply keep spending resources on a bridge people don't drive across ... we're not going to continue to throw resources at something the public just doesn't appreciate."
Commissioner James Booth said during the meeting that he was sure the Washington County Sheriff's Department would take complaints of vandalism on the bridge.
Wright said his department cleaned up the graffiti as best they could, but his position is they will have to stop at some point.
Commissioner Charlie Schilling thanked Wright for his efficiency in working on the Hills Covered Bridge.
"That's nonsense," Schilling said about the vandalism of the bridge.
Wright told the commissioners that his department would work with the Sheriff's Office on the vandalism of the bridge.
Booth shared how he was on a trip to Washington, D.C., earlier this work and saw beautiful bridges and other public structures with graffiti on them too.
The Bell Covered Bridge has been vandalized recently too, according to community members. It was the last covered bridge in the county that people could drive across.
Other business addressed at the meeting includes:
≤ Approved paying bills totalling $697,392.35.
≤ Approved $129,622.64 in additional funds to Washingiton County Family and Children First.
≤ Approved $321,198.45 in additional funds for a bridge project known as WAS-55-0162.
≤ Approved $212,099.77 for the Hills Covered Bridge budget line item.
≤ Approved 7 Then & Now items, which are purchase orders over $100.
≤ Agreed to table a contract service agreement for a Bureau of Justice Assistance Grant between Washington County Commissioners and the Oriana House. Oriana House provides services for the county's Compass Drug Court. They agreed to table to have time to discuss whether they county should be paying the administration costs for the outside contractor.
≤ Approved a community authorization for the Building Demolition and Site Revitalization Program to demolish three properties in Belpre.
≤ Agreed to table a change order for the elevator replacement project for Washington County Job and Family Services until County Prosecutor Nicole Coil has a chance to review it.
≤ Approved the reappointment of Ronald Rees to the Washington County Behavioral Health Board.
≤ Approved letters of support for two Brownfield Remediation Program applications for projects to demolish the old Remington Rand building in Marietta and the former Toll Compaction building in Belpre that will be demolished to make way for Memorial Health System's new women and children's hospital. The letters will be sent to the Ohio Department of Development.
≤ Approved bids for aggregate and liquid bituminous coal projects that the Washington County Highway Department will use in 2024.
≤ Approved paying a $39 late fee and $34.89 finance charge for a late payment on a bill for the Health Department.
≤ Commissioners vocalized their support and prayers for the families of the shooting victims at the Kansas City Chiefs parade on Wednesday and the families of the three officers shot in Washington, D.C., Wednesday morning while serving a warrant.
≤ County offices will be closed Monday, Feb. 19, for Presidents Day.
Michelle Dillon can be reached at mdillon@newsandsentinel.com