A good review and money, too.

The Lawrence County Commission Thursday was handed nearly $10,000 and discussed a recent newspaper report that stated the county is ahead of most other counties in some key economic areas.

Bob Boyles, with the Dean State Forest, presented the commission with a check for $3, 213. The money comes from the forestry service’s sale of timber. Decatur Township received a similar sized check; the Rock Hill School District received a check for more than $6,000.

“Its not as big (as in other years), but every bit helps,” Boyles said.

Boyles was followed by Acting Lawrence County Coroner Kurt Hofmann, who handed the commission back $3,000 he said would not be needed to operate that office this year.

Money coming in was welcomed news for the three men who wrestle with the county’s finances.

“This has been a good day so far,” Commission President Doug Malone said.

Also Thursday, Dr. Bill Dingus, executive director of the Greater Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce, mentioned a recent story in the Toledo Blade that put Lawrence County at the top of top-performing counties in the state. The Blade looked at seven economic indicators, such as the foreclosure rate, the unemployment rate and the bankruptcy rate and ranked the state’s 88 counties. Lawrence County was rated No. 1 in best overall economic performance from 2001 to 2008. In fact seven of the top 10 were Appalachian counties, including Adams (seventh place) and Jackson (eighth). Lawrence County was rated No. 1 in the area of top decreases in the unemployment rate and No. 1 in the largest decrease in bankruptcy filings.

“The truth is, Lawrence County is faring well,” Dingus said. “Lawrence County right now is the envy of much of the rest of the state.”

Dingus also asked the commission Thursday to send a letter to the Ohio Department of Transportation District 9 in support of a plan to fill in an area along State Route 7 that will be used for the proposed Riverwalk project. Dingus said the project had hit some archaeological snags in its path to fruition but said the issues have been resolved. Developers want to fill in the land to make it level with the roadway.

Sun Rush Construction Company, Inc., of Chillicothe, needs a right of way easement to complete work on the entry and Riverwalk’s Phase I building.

“The plan does show that this area would be filled with engineering fill material to allow the construction of a parking lot, landscape area and green space. This would allow sufficient area for the installation of necessary utility underground services, i.e. water, has electric, cable TV signal lines and telephone,” Michael Long, Sunrush vice-president of development said in a letter to Dingus that was forwarded to the commission. Dingus said the completion of this building could create as many as 50 jobs.

Developers have proposed building a multi-million-dollar, multi-use complex along the river that would include housing, recreational facilities and commercial ventures.