CADIZ — Harrison County received $351,354 of Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act funding that will be distributed to its villages and townships.

During Wednesday’s Harrison County Board of Commissioners’ meeting, County Auditor Allison Anderson announced the county just received the funding the day prior.The CARES Act provides reimbursement to local government agencies for expenses incurred in the coronavirus public health emergency.

Commissioner Paul Coffland said the funds will be distributed to each subdivision according to their standard local government funding. As of now, the village of Hopedale is the only local government agency to submit a resolution to receive a portion of the funding, he said.

“That’s mostly because other areas just don’t have anything that qualifies the way that money has to be spent,” Anderson said.

Coffland said the funding must only be spent on expenditures that were incurred due to the pandemic.

According to Ohio.gov, the CARES Act requires payments from the Coronavirus Relief Fund be used to cover expenses that are necessary expenditures incurred due to the pandemic, were not accounted for in the budget and were incurred March 1 – Dec. 30.

“If they (villages/townships) didn’t put up any plexiglass or buy any hand sanitizer or do any sanitizing in their offices, then it’s not going to help them,” Anderson said.

In other news, County Engineer Doug Bachman submitted his company recommendation for the paving project on Harrison County Road 44. The project includes the resurfacing of 3.37 miles of the county road from Ohio 151 (Patterson Road) to Monroe Township Road 218 (Havener Road). The project received funding from the Ohio Department of Transportation through the Local Roads Oil and Shale Program.

Three bids were submitted last week – NLS Paving for $493,313; Shelly & Sands for $503,303; and Cast & Baker Corporation for $629,368. The engineer’s original project estimate was for $513,000.

Bachman recommended the work be performed by NLS Paving, Inc., out of St. Clairsville, who submitted the low bid. Coffland made a motion to approve the engineer’s recommendation, Commissioner Don Bethel seconded the motion. Commissioner Dale Norris agreed and it was unanimously passed.