Work on Falls bridge expected to resume

County Engineer John Latell said a deal was worked out Monday in Columbus.
By ED RUNYAN
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Though it remains to be seen whether Trumbull County commissioners will take official action today, it is pretty certain that work on the Newton Falls Covered Bridge will get back on track fairly soon.
Trumbull County Engineer John Latell met with commissioners Tuesday to ask that commissioners approve $212,000 worth of change orders necessary to resolve a dispute with the project's contractor and complete the job.
Latell was hoping the contractor could be back on the job as early as next week, but commissioners were not sure whether they would approve the change orders quickly enough to allow that because they want to see proof of a legal resolution first.
County officials and the contractor have been in negotiations over the dispute in recent weeks.
The $1 million rehabilitation project, started in July, came to a halt Feb. 2 over disputes between the county engineer's office and BECDIR Construction Co. of Berlin Center, the general contractor. The project had been set for completion this spring. Latell said he now hopes it can be completed by the end of the year.
The commissioners authorized Latell in March to hire the law firm of Brickler & amp; Eckler of Columbus to represent the county in the dispute. Latell said the parties met in Columbus on Monday and worked out an agreement.
Financing
Part of the agreement involves the county's paying an additional $84,000 for flooring and $128,000 more for additional materials. The money for these changes will come from the grant the engineer's office received for the project, Latell said.
BECDIR's original contract called for the company to be paid $827,506 to replace the siding, roof, deck planking, floor beams, most of the sidewalk and some of the truss timbers and steel piers. Money for the work was coming from a $1,061,800 federal grant.
David DiRusso, BECDIR's owner, said the project got off track because of unexpected termite damage that was discovered in the structure after the project began. He said county officials didn't act on the problem by ordering additional beams. Another dispute arose over changes to the project the county engineer's office demanded of his company during the construction, DiRusso said.
County Commissioner Paul Heltzel said he would like to see a formalized memo of understanding from the two law firms in the negotiations indicating the terms of the settlement before signing off on the additional money.
He said it is possible that the commissioners could approve the additional money at today's commissioners meeting without having the document in hand, but Jason Earnhart, the assistant Trumbull County prosecutor who advises the commissioners on legal matters, will have to research the question first.
The bridge, built in 1831 and located on Arlington Street over the east branch of the Mahoning River, is the second-oldest covered bridge in Ohio and the last covered bridge in Ohio still being used in its original location.