Trent said it was time to discuss a new jail because of that option and jail conditions that the county and Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department have been dealing with recently.

Friday, October 08, 1999

Trent said it was time to discuss a new jail because of that option and jail conditions that the county and Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department have been dealing with recently.

Sheriff Roy Smith has said that the jail needs replaced because of overcrowding and the substandard structure, and has favored building one locally.

Trent said Thursday that deficiencies levied about the jail by state inspectors have been corrected.

"It’s time to start some dialogue with the Department of Corrections, who can ultimately guide and direct us in the different avenues we can choose from to build a jail," he said.

Commissioners talked earlier this year of hiring a consultant but have taken no action.

Also Thursday, commissioners approved plat fees for new and proposed subdivisions.

Acting on a recommendation from a Lawrence County Planning Commission subcommittee, commissioners set a graduated plat fee scale based on the number of lots in the subdivision.

For county inspectors to review a subdivision with one to nine lots, the fee is $500. Other fees are: 10 to 25 lots, $750; 26 to 50 lots, $1,000; 51 to 100 lots, $1,250; 101 and more, $1,500.

A reinspection fee of $50 per trip, to verify corrections for non-compliant conditions not accepted at regular inspection, also was approved. The fee for one callback inspection per subdivision will be waived.

Minor subdivisions will require a $200 plat fee. And subdivision variance requests require a $50 fee.

The action will relieve the county’s general fund of the subdivision review expense, commissioners said.

In other action, the commission:

– Received notice that the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio has approved a measured rate service between the Guyan exchange of Ameritech and the Chesapeake exchange of GTE, effective April 2000.

– Accepted the Lakewood Subdivision and Hunter Glen Woods subdivisions as recommended by the planning commission.