(Photo by Amber Phipps) Washington County Commissioners Charlie Schilling and Eddie Place approve Tuesday’s draft of the letter of support for the Southeastern Ohio Port Authority at their regular meeting Thursday.

The port authority and finances were the topic of discussion at the Washington County Commission regular meeting on Thursday.

A letter of support for the Southeastern Ohio Port Authority, which was drafted on Tuesday, was read and approved by Commissioners Charlie Schilling and Eddie Place.

There were disagreements over a partnership proposal from the Marietta Industrial Enterprises. The private group requested the partnership with the commissioners so they could apply for a grant to fund their efforts.

“It is a competitive grant so it would be adding to the competitive landscape for Washington County if both of us were to submit,” said Jesse Roush, president of the port authority.

Roush said they haven’t partnered with MIE because it would require board action and it would jeopardize the investments they’re attempting to make.

Commissioner James Booth disagreed with Roush and said he personally feels that the commissioners should support private businesses and support the port that already exists instead of building another.

“We’re doing something totally different from what they’re doing,” said Roush. “We have the opportunity to reconnect the rail to the river. That is our primary goal and objective and it always has been.”

He explained that what they’re doing on their site cannot be accomplished by other businesses. Booth asked if the competitors and the public were aware and Roush responded and said that all of their meetings are public and published monthly on their website.

“I feel like it has been pretty public for the past 18 months now,” said Schilling. “I’m happy to have this discussion but my role is to protect the investments the county has made.”

Schilling and Place said that approving the partnership with the port authority will help local businesses. Booth made a motion to support MIE’s request which didn’t carry.

Before the letter of support for the port authority was passed in a 2-1 vote, Booth requested that it be read for the record.

“This transformative initiative will reconnect a 1950s era rail line directly to the Ohio River, establishing the only active port-to-rail link in a 225 mile stretch of river,” Schilling read from the letter, which was drafted by Roush.

The letter stated that the port authority has the goal to reduce freight costs, improve delivery times and expand the market in the region.

In other business, Director of the Child Support Enforcement Agency Kimberly Lowers requested $75,000 to cover the costs of increasing health insurance and staff salaries. Lowers said that they are only requesting the amount needed to balance the budget at the end of the fiscal year 2025.

“I don’t think the county general (fund), looking at this historically for the last 12 years, has offered anything to CSEA,” said Schilling.

Lowers said the full financial investment of what they’re asking would cover the costs and draw federal funding.

“Every dollar in those incentive dollars to go into our bank balance and show in our account, only account for a value of 34% and they don’t allow you to draw down the federal portion for that,” said Lowers.

She said incentive dollars used to count dollar for dollar from the state and federal but over the years, that money has turned into 34% value.

“They give you $300,000 but it counts as $100,000 in real money,” said Booth.

Lowers said that they’ve reduced staff from 19 to 13 and they’ve had to increase salaries to match partner agencies since the staff were underpaid. She said the $75,000 is equal to $220,000 of expenses which can be covered with that money.

“I wouldn’t ask for any more than what I absolutely needed, but unfortunately we’re getting to the point where the state’s not giving any more money to the child support office,” she said. “And the governor has had one increase in the child support state match in the 12 years I’ve been here.”

The request was approved in a 3-0 vote and Lowers thanked the commissioners.