CHILLICOTHE — Ross County commissioners have voted to begin creating a Transportation Improvement District, a new tool the county hopes will unlock up to $500,000 a year in state transportation funding for projects designed to draw private investment.
The board acted at its Oct. 13 meeting, agreeing to pay the Montrose Group LLC a flat $25,000 fee, spread over five months, to guide the county through setting up the district and applying to the Ohio Department of Transportation for the annual allocation, according to the meeting minutes.
Commissioners said the district is meant to fund and manage projects in targeted parts of the county, in places positioned to encourage private-sector investment, the movement of goods and services, and public safety. Transportation improvement districts are a mechanism Ohio counties use to coordinate road and infrastructure work tied to economic development.
At the same meeting, the board opened bids for the county’s long-planned overhaul of security at the Ross County Jail. Only one bid came in, from IP Systems of Valley View, at $450,350, the minutes show.
The jail bid is not yet a contract. The county’s security team will review the single submission and make a recommendation before commissioners decide whether to award the work, leaving open the question of how the price and scope compare with what the county expected when it sought bids.
Commissioners also approved three change orders totaling $38,055 for TAM Construction’s work on the county’s State Route 104 sewer project. The largest piece, $33,455, covers relocating Pump Station 2, alongside a $1,100 lateral sewer connection on Stone Road and $3,500 for an 18-inch culvert and limestone installation. The board had approved a $1.46 million payment on the same sewer project earlier this month.
The meeting also brought a check from the state’s forests. Ohio Department of Natural Resources forester Brian Kelly presented $256,340.12 in stumpage revenue from state forest timber sales, with Ross County receiving $64,085.03, Harrison Township $40,881.33, Franklin Township $23,203.70, and the Southeastern Local School District $128,170.06.
County Engineer Charlie Ortman has compiled documentation on flood-related damage to county roads and the cost of repairs already completed, a state public works representative told the board. That information will go to the Ohio Public Works Commission to determine whether any of the repair costs qualify for reimbursement, a step that could return money to the county for work already done.
