The Lawrence County Commission will borrow close to $60,000 from the Neighborhood Investment Program to pay for lighting at the county jail.

The commission awarded the bid to Williams Electrical Service for $59,975 as recommended by the jail committee at its regular Thursday meeting.

Commissioners will issue a bond for that amount that they wish to be purchased by the County Treasurer at an interest rate of 2 percent for five years.

The lighting is the latest upgrade for the 1970s facility that has come under fire for not meeting state requirements including the amount of square footage mandated per inmate.

The Lawrence County EMS reported that it made 243 runs to St. Mary’s Medical Center in Huntington, W.Va., 239 to King’s Daughters Medical Center, 82 to Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital, 71 to St. Mary’s Medical Center-Ironton Campus and 67 to Cabell Huntington Hospital.

When the EMS started in January 2011, it averaged 26 runs a day. In January of 2014, average runs were 29 a day.

In other action the commission:

• Approved flood plain permits for Columbia Gas to replace a gas line on State Route 7, Dave Malone Enterprises at County Road 56 and county engineer for bridge replacements at County Road 2, County Road 5, Township Road 546 and Township Road 336;

• Received weekly dog warden report where one dog was destroyed, 34 were adopted or sent to rescue and one was redeemed by its owner.