Columbiana officials to maintain frugality

By D.a. Wilkinson

The commissioners are still seeking money for a government building.

LISBON — The Columbiana County commissioners face more than another year with tight finances.

Commissioner Penny Traina said that state projections on overall spending and revenues are not bright.

She said that late last year, state officials told local officials that subdivisions should not expect to see their revenue rise to pre-2007 levels until 2013.

“We’re going to be very frugal,” she said.

The commissioners commented during their annual reorganization meeting Monday.

Traina, who has been on the board just over two years, was named the president for a second time.

Jim Hoppel will continue as the vice president. Dan Bing is the third commissioner.

One of the county’s priorities is getting a new building to house the county board of elections, the department of job and family services and the veterans commission. The current job and family services building on Nelson Street is in bad condition, JFS officials and the commissioners say. The list of problems includes flooding, mold and mildew.

Hoppel said the county has about $1.2 million to spend on the project and needs an additional $5 million to complete funding.

Traina said, “We’ll try again to get some additional funding [from outside the county].”

She said the funding could come from the next state budget or a line item in the federal budget.

wilkinson@vindy.com