Commissioners approve payments

Lorain County commissioners unanimously voted Jan. 24 to award nearly $70,000 in contracts to construction firms to repair and rehabilitate private properties.

The money is split between three contracts: $6,380 to Green Home Solutions, of Cleveland, to repair a house in Columbia Station; $15,950 to KMU Trucking, of Avon, to replace a septic tank at an Elyria Township house; and $47,395 to JenMet Construction, of Lorain, for rehabilitation work at a house in Kipton.

The funds expended on these projects were provided by the Community Housing Impact Project, or CHIP, grant which the county received in 2016.

The county, as well as the cities of Oberlin and Sheffield Lake, received $1.1 million.

A media release from the commissioners said funds from the 2016 grant are fully committed to projects, but the county plans to apply for more funds in 2018.

The funds are to be used to preserve housing in all communities in the county besides Lorain, Elyria and Vermilion which have their own programs, the release said.

During the Jan. 24 meeting, Lorain County Administrator James Cordes expressed frustration that some of the funds are going to a Cleveland firm.

“We continue to work to try and keep this work here,” Cordes said. “A lot of invitations went out (to Lorain County contractors), but we’re still not seeing 100 percent of the work going to Lorain County companies.”

The media release advises any contractors who would like to participate in the bidding process to contact Community Development at 440-328-2322

There is still about $400,000 available to be bid out.

In other news, the commissioners authorized a $224,657.93 purchase of services agreement between Lorain County Job and Family Services and Medina County Sheltered Industries for a work experience program for residents receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance, or SNAP, benefits and Ohio Works First clients.

Cordes said the program is a way for those receiving these benefits to comply with the federal work requirement on some recipients.

“We continue to work to try and keep this work here.” — Lorain County Administrator James Cordes