Valley communities saying no to higher road salt prices

YOUNGSTOWN

Area communities have begun the process of reaching out to the state attorney general about increased road salt prices while others continue to decide what the next step is.

All three county engineers for Trumbull, Columbiana, and Mahoning rejected salt bids through the Ohio Department of Transportation state purchasing program.

Trumbull County Engineer Randy Smith said there arethree options currently:to continue to mix road salt with other treatments; pretreat roads with brine, a salt-water like waste from fracking; or partner with surrounding communities to purchase a 20,000 ton barge at a rate of $98 a ton. But those communities would have to split the cost of picking up the salt from Lake Erie.

Trumbull County rejected a bid from ODOT for $127 a ton while Columbiana rejected a bid of $102 a ton. Mahoning County’s rejected bid was between $146 and $148.

Boardman Township Administrator Jason Loree and Austintown Township Administrator Mike Dockry are both working on letters to send to the office of Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine regarding the increased pricing. But Columbiana County Engineer Bert Dawson said there is no need for his county to contact the attorney general’s office because it is involved in an ongoing lawsuit against Morton Salt Inc. and Cargill Inc. that accuses the two salt companies of driving up prices on Ohio communities.