A 10-year bond for $400,000 will be issued by the county commissioners to pay for the construction of a new livestock barn and arena.

Earlier in the summer members of the fair board came to the commissioners to see if they would act as a fiscal agent for the project to enable the board to get the lowest possible interest rate.

During the July fair and before the fair board collected pledges totaling the amount needed to replace the aging barn.

Commissioners Les Boggs and Bill Pratt voted on the motion to aid the fair board during the commission’s regular Thursday meeting. Commissioner Paul Herrell was absent from the meeting because of an illness.

Before the commission agreed to act as fiscal agent, it required the fair board to agree to a variety of stipulations. They included giving the commission first mortgage on the $1.1 million fair grounds; maintaining all insurance on the property; establishing an escrow account for the pledges; agreeing that all pledges be made payable to the commission; and accepted responsibility for repayment of the bond, including interest and fees, through pledges and operating revenue.

“The county would be the fiscal agent for the project only,” Pratt said. “We would (handle) the outflow and inflow of the money. There would be transparency. And with the mortgage we would protect the interest of Lawrence County.”

In other action the commissioners:

• Approved a travel request for Sharon Hager and Kim Estep to go to Dublin, Ohio;

• Approved mutual aid agreements between the county EMS and Gallia County EMS and Patriot EMS;

• Approved a right of way permit for Harvey McGowan Jr. for right of way on County Road 36 to construct a driveway;

• Received the weekly dog warden’s report where 31 dogs were destroyed; seven dogs were sold and seven dogs redeemed by owners. Currently there are 93 dogs in custody.