Concerns about COVID-19 Delta variant prompts closure

At Tuesday’s meeting of the Lawrence County Commissioners, Commissioner Freddie Hayes reported that the Sybene-Chesapeake Senior Center will be closing down again due to COVID-19 concerns.

“I talked to Darlene Green, director of the senior center up there, and they are going to be cancelling everything until this Delta virus gets better. We are afraid to get them out and get in contact with each other.”

He said most of the seniors have had the vaccinations but some have not and “we don’t want to take a chance, so we will be cancelling the functions and closing the center. Hate to do that but it something we have to do.”

“We have to protect the seniors,” said Commissioner DeAnna Holliday.

She added that the Lawrence County Health Department is giving out a $50 gift card for anyone getting the COVID-19 vaccination through them.

In items on the agenda, the commissioners took the following actions:

• Adopted a new official seal for Lawrence County and passed a resolution for the commemoration of the former Lawrence County seal.

• Approved a $1,252,672.28 bid by The Shelley Company to do resurfacing of various county and township roads.

• Approved and signed a resolution to adopt an Anti-Displacement and Relocation Assistant Plan requested by Cindy Anderson, CAO.

• Approved the floodplain permits submitted by the Soil and Water Conservation District including new ones for Jeremy S. Hutchison, filling and grading project, located at 11 Private Drive 156; and Andrew W. Robinson, manufactured home project, located at 31 Township Road 197 W; and renewed ones for Kimberly Fout, stream maintenance project, located at 99 Private Road 5467; Jerry L. Freeman, filling and grading and bank stabilization projects, located at 402 Township Road 1186; Rita A. Ferguson, filling and grading and bank stabilization projects, located at 4434 State Route 93; Betty J. Rice, filling and grading project, located at 708 County Road 31; VFW Post #6878, filling and grading and campers in a floodplain projects, located on Township Road 1222; Arthur E. Bryant, bridge and bank stabilization projects, located across from 2479 County Road 52; Joyce J. Rambacher, filling and grading project, located at 836 Township Road 119 and 876 Township Road 119; Michael Walter, stream maintenance project, located at 25144 and 25146 State Route 93; Chris Monnig, stream maintenance and bank stabilization projects, located at 1029 County Road 43; Ronald Hamm, stream maintenance project, located at 1674 County Road 56; Symmes Valley Local School District, filling and grading project, located at 13959 State Route 141; Jason Tolliver, filling and grading project, located at M.M. 11000 State Route 7; and Justin Holland, stream maintenance project, located at 1045 County Road 37.

Dr. Dave Lucas gave a water district update.

He said he had a letter from Gov. Mike DeWine’s office about a new grant that will distribute $250 million around the state to put in water lines in rural areas that don’t have water service. He said they would be applying for a grant and was very excited at the chance to expand water services to those that don’t have it.

He did add that it is a long process to get water lines projects completed because it involves a number of state offices including the Ohio EPA.

The commissioners have gone back to having live meetings but are still broadcasting the meetings on Facebook.

“If you do want to interact with your commissioners, we do invite you and welcome you to attend our meetings,” Holliday said. The meetings are regularly scheduled for 10 a.m. on Tuesdays. However, next week’s meeting has been moved to 2:30 p.m. on Thursday.

While people can still comment on the Facebook page, the commissioners will not be addressing the questions during the meeting but would have a staff member follow up as necessary.