County approves several additional appropriations and transfers

Washington County Commissioner Charlie Schilling, right, talks about additional appropriations for various county departments during a commission meeting Thursday morning as Commissioner James Booth, center, and Washington County Fiscal Manager Ben Cowdery, left, listen. (Photo by Michelle Dillon)
Washington County approved several additional appropriations and transfer requests Thursday for various county departments.
During a Washington County Commission meeting Thursday morning, commissioners approved five additional appropriations and three transfers.
One additional appropriation was for $163,417.79 for the Marietta Connecting Residents on Safer Streets (CROSS) Project. According to the city of Marietta’s project site, Cross Marietta has been renamed Connected Marietta and it aims to improve traffic flow in the city and to encourage pedestrian activity.
Other additional appropriations included $5,000 for operation and maintenance costs for paving State Route 60 and $30,000 for the county engineer’s office for maintenance and repair materials.
The other two additional appropriations were associated with the H2Ohio Grant. According to H2Ohio’s website, it is a comprehensive water quality initiative launched by the Ohio governor that is working to strategically address serious water issues that have been building in Ohio for decades. One of the appropriations was for $60,000 to go to the H2Ohio Grant fund for the County Home Creek project and the money will be used to reimburse the county’s budget stabilization fund, according to information about the appropriation that was included with the commission meeting agenda.
The other appropriation was for $820,000 for the H2Ohio Grant fund for the County Home Creek project. According to information about the appropriation included with the meeting agenda, $410,000 is for contract services and $410,00 is for expenditures related to the grant, and the funds will be returned to the county’s budget stabilization fund as reimbursement is received.
The commissioners also approved three transfers during the meeting, including transferring the $410,000 for the H2OHIO grant expenditures from the budget stabilization fund to the fund for the County Home Creek project.
There was also a transfer of $7,000 from the materials-buildings/lift station fund to the operations and maintenance for State Route 60 fund for the sewer department and a transfer for $5,000 from the Sheriff’s Office other expenses fund to the Sheriff’s Office K9 expenses fund. According to information about the appropriation that was included with the meeting agenda, the money needs to be transferred so a narcotics canine and a handler can be trained.
Other matters addressed at the meeting include:
*Approved paying $2,590,738.56 in bills.
*Approved a resolution to designate Washington-Morgan Community Action Program as the grantee for the county’s rural public transit system from July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2028.
*Approved two Then and Now items – which are purchase orders that are more than $100 – totaling $24,075.47.
*Approved paying a late fee for $0.85 to American Electric for the Sewer Department.
*Approved a participation form for the Kroger Opioid Settlement.
*Shared that the county received an Ohio Department of Transportation Public Transit Operating Funds award letter. In the letter it states the county was awarded $146,417 in federal awards and $$145,000 in state funds from the Rural Transit Program.
*Approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) and a contract between the county and the Ohio Valley Education Service Center (OVESC) for July 1 to June 30, 2025. According to an attachment to the MOU, OVESC will provide services to support opioid prevention in children in early care and education/preschool programs in the county.
*Approved Low- and Moderate-Income surveys that are required for Highland Ridge Water Association to receive Community Development Block Grant funds.
*Approved paying an invoice of $566,697.35 to RDR Utility Services Group for the Devola Sewer project.
*Approved a change order of $110,824.48 for the Devola Sewer project. According to a letter from the County Engineer’s Office, the change order is due to an error in the project plan that underestimated the amount of sanitary sewer pipe needed by 2,442 feet.
*Approved a change order for paving project that reduces the amount needed for the project by $51,241.05.
*Approved a contract with Shelly & Sands for $1,389,389.99 for a paving project.