After a brief interruption, the Ironton Metropolitan Housing Authority has a functioning board again.

The IMHA did not have an active board when the director retired and the board resigned last month.

Lawrence County Probate Judge Patricia Sanders got a call from the HUD office in Columbus, which was concerned by the lack of board since there was no one to collect rent and maintain the building.

The board is made up of five people appointed by the probate judge, the general division judges and two by the Ironton Mayor’s office.

At the Dec. 12 meeting, Sanders said she, Mayor Sam Cramblit and Lawrence County Common Pleas judges Andy Ballard and Christine Finley had made appointments but the commissioners have to appoint someone to the board as the HUD office in Columbus would like to have a board seated by the end of the year.

Copley thanked Sanders for doing the legwork on communicating with the HUD office on the board issue and said that the commissioners were working on finding someone to be appointed to the board.

“I know how important that this board is and we appreciate the work that you and Ballard and Finley have done to make quick appointments to this board,” Copley said. 

Sanders said the HUD office in Columbus appreciated the quick response to assembling a board.

“They didn’t expect anything more than a phone call,” Sanders said. “And when I not only returned that call, but set scheduled meetings, they were not only impressed and willing to work with the new board but (also) provide them with significant direction to get some issues resolved.”

Copley said that with change comes new opportunity.

With that, the commissioners appointed Suzanne Triplett from the commissioners’ office to the board and now the board could meet and move forward as the board sees fit.

Sanders said she would let the HUD office know a board had been assembled.

The commissioners took the following actions on agenda items:

• Approved a floodplain permit submitted by the Soil and Water Conservation District for TC Energy, Columbia Gas Transmission-line lowering of existing natural gas pipeline and stream bank armoring projects located at the temporary access from 2103 Dog Fork Road.

• Approved and signed an agreement between the board of County Commissioners/Lawrence County Juvenile Court and Ross County Juvenile Detention Center beginning Jan. 1, 2024, through Dec. 31, 2024, submitted by Joyce Lynd, Probate Juvenile Court, pending approval by the Lawrence County prosecutor. The rate went up to $120 per detention bed. Previously, Ross County sent a separate invoice for medical care. That cost is now included in the per bed rate.

• Approved and signed a contract agreement between Lawrence County Department of Job and Family Services, Lawrence County Commissioners and Ohio Council 8 of AFSCME, ALF-CIO and Local #3319 effective Oct. 22, 2023, to Oct. 21, 2026. It has been approved by the prosecutor.

• Approved and signed the collective bargaining contract with the Lawrence County Engineer’s office from Dec. 31, 2023, through Dec. 31, 2026.

• Approved and signed the Palmer Energy Contract for the electricity supply agreement. It has been approved by the prosecutor. 

• Approved sending a letter of support and collaboration on an Advanced Manufacturing Program at Dawson-Bryant High School.

• Approved sending letters of support 

It was the final meeting of the commissioners for 2023.