Until the state auditor gets some answers from the firm conducting the audit of the Ironton Metropolitan Housing Authority, the $250,000 check the county received in August stays in escrow.

At a recent meeting County Commissioner Freddie Hayes requested a letter be sent to the county auditor asking the status of the check.

At Thursday’s regular commission meeting, a letter from chief deputy auditor Chris Kline was read and filed.

“A majority of the communication I have had with the Auditor of State’s office has been via telephone with Ruthann Sisk (an assistant chief),” the letter stated. “During my last conversation she advised that they were still looking into the matter and were consulting the firm performing the housing authority’s audit and would let me know when they had a definitive answer.”

Kline has referred the matter to the state auditor because he was uncertain if the county had the legal authority to spend the check or how it could be used.

The check had been issued by LM Associates following the sale of the Sherman Thompson Towers to that company. LM had issued two checks for $250,000. The other one went to the City of Ironton, which has already spent it.

The commission would like to have the check certified so it could be used to augment the 2014 budget.

In other action the commission:

Approved a tower lease between the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office and Perry Brock;

Change the status of paramedic Matt Conley to part-time;

Appointed Ralph Kline and Cindy Caskey to the Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission;

Appointed Bernard Fuster of Patriot Ambulance to the Lawrence Emergency Planning Commission;

Unappropriated $19,704.25 from the airport capital improvement fund because there was not enough money certified to cover the appropriation;

Received the weekly dog warden report where no dogs were destroyed, 17 were adopted or went to rescue and one dog was redeemed by its owner.