Columbiana Port Authority Gets $478,000 for Economic Recovery Program

LISBON, Ohio — The Columbiana County Port Authority has received $478,000 from the Economic Development Administration to launch an economic recovery program in the county.

Reporting to the port authority’s board of directors Monday, Executive Director Penny Traina said the program will include efforts around business retention and expansion, workforce development, compiling an inventory of businesses and prioritizing visits based on economic contributions, industry and need, and developing relationships in county business districts. The program’s total cost is $597,500.

The $119,500 local share of the cost includes $7,500 from the East Liverpool Community Improvement Corp.

The board also voted in favor of three resolutions pertaining to Maritime Assistance Program funding previously awarded the port authority, which includes $1,128,195 

for a dock improvement project at S.H. Bell Co. with the understanding the project won’t be advertised for bid until USACE Waterways Permit approval is secured. The company is awaiting word from the Army Corp of Engineers but that the money must be encumbered by June 30, Traina said.

One of the resolutions accepted a bid of $310,789 from Miller Builders of Orrville for installation of a 72-by-130-foot fabric storage building at Wellsville Terminals, while another accepted a bid of $605,000 from Groff Tractor & Equipment of Mechanicsburg, Pa., for two new Case wheel loaders for Parsons Terminal in East Liverpool.   

A lease reassignment was approved by the board for The ExOne Co., which has acquired Freshmade 3D. ExOne will take over Freshmade’s lease in the Leetonia Industrial Building until expiration of the original lease on Sept. 30. 

All rent payments are current, as are all utilities, according to the resolution, which calls for ExOne to assume remaining rental payments of $464.55 per month and 1.7% of utility reimbursement for the 1,780 square feet of the building. 

After being nominated by the Columbiana County Port Authority for the Eastern Ohio Development Alliance Excellence in Manufacturing Award, Humtown Products was chosen as a winner in the small manufacturing category.

Traina and her team will travel with Humtown officials June 11 to Holmes County for presentation of the award at the EODA annual meeting. The EODA is a non-partisan organization which promotes the economic development of a 16-county region including Columbiana County.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.