COLUMBIANA COUNTY Officials give OK for facility for disabled

Work on the structure is expected to take about a year.
By NORMAN LEIGH
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
LISBON -- Columbiana County commissioners gave the green light to an effort to build a new facility to serve people with disabilities.
The panel adopted a resolution Wednesday allowing construction to proceed on the structure, which will be along state Route 45 in Center Township, north of Lisbon.
Construction is expected to begin anytime, county Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities officials have said.
Gerald Baker, MRDD superintendent, was unavailable Wednesday to give a more precise date.
Plans call for enlarging and remodeling a former five-and-dime store to convert it into facility that will be used for activities by adults who have mental or physical disabilities.
Among those served will be people whose disabilities are so severe that they are unable to do many other activities, such as being employed in the agency's workshops.
Senior citizens with disabilities, many of whom have retired from MRDD workshops, will use the facility. The seniors will be able to pursue activities such as knitting, cooking and playing games.
Cost of the facility will include about $803,000 in construction expenses and the nearly $346,000 paid for the building.
Most of the money for the project, which will take about a year to complete, will come from MRDD funds.
Also on agenda
In other business, commissioners met privately with Eileen Dray-Bardon, county Job and Family Services Department director. Commissioners approved the dismissal of a department employee who works in its Children Services division.
Dray-Bardon said the employee was dismissed for divulging confidential information.
Dray-Bardon would not immediately provide a copy of a document in her possession containing information about the dismissal, although she agreed the document is a public record.
A 10 a.m. Aug. 21 hearing is set before commissioners to gather input on an annexation request.
Lawrence and Gina Lang, 1264 N. Lincoln Ave., Perry Township, want their one-acre residential lot annexed into the city.
After the hearing, commissioners have the authority to approve or disapprove the annexation request.
leigh@vindy.com