STEUBENVILLE — Days after the Ohio Auditor of State confirmed it is looking into how a contractor can be nearly done with a water line project that Jefferson County Commissioners never voted on, OAS also confirmed it is looking into concerns that a county commissioner serving on the Land Revitalization Corporation’s board might have improperly benefited from a 2025 demolition contract.

The allegation, relayed to OAS by JCLRC Executive Director Tabatha Glover and President Brian Scarpone, stems from a contract to demolish three lots on Main Street in Mingo Junction last year. Commissioner Jake Kleineke had seconded the motion and ultimately voted to award the contract to Siegel Excavating, the low bidder, for $183,600. The demolitions were funded with a grant from the Ohio Department of Development.

Siegel also was awarded the 2026 project and after it was signed last month, introductions were attempted but Kleineke was alleged to have said it wasn’t necessary because the two of them “were already familiar with one another as (he’d) delivered dirt” to the Mingo Junction site the year before.

Because the demolition projects are grant funded, Glover and Scarpone said they consulted their legal counsel and were advised to file a report with the state.

Kleineke vehemently denied the allegation, saying he never delivered any dirt to Siegel Excavating or the Mingo Junction site.

“I never worked for him. I never sold him anything, not a thing, not a pebble. I did not sell him anything, I did not haul anything for him,” he said. “It would have been a conflict of interest.”

Kleineke said a Mingo Junction official had approached him about hauling dirt to Siegel’s work site, but instead he referred him to a contractor who, at the time, was working on the state Route 7 project.

“I was elected by the people and I respect that, I’ll do the best I can to represent them,” said Kleineke, who, during a break in the commission’s business meeting, left the office for a few minutes to get more information. “And if anybody out there is gunning for me, they better get up earlier in the morning.”

Commissioners Tony Morelli and Eric Timmons were not part of the demo discussion, and during their business meeting Thursday the controversial water line project, days from completion, was not discussed.

That project was referred to the OAS after County Auditor E.J. Conn was made aware that it was nearly done. He and other county officials say there is no record the project was bid out or that commissioners approved the project, appropriated funding or issued a purchase order for the work, needed to protect water service to about 2,000 people in the vicinity of state Route 213.

Morelli and Timmons have said they were unaware the work was in progress. All three commissioners have denied authorizing the work.

Commissioners, meanwhile, increased the foster parent per diem to $40, which Children Services staff said makes Jefferson County competitive with surrounding communities. The county had been paying just $23.

Guernsey County currently pays $32 per day; Carroll County, $35; Harrison and Belmont counties, $40; and Columbiana County, $30-$50.

Commissioners also:

— Endorsed the regional airport authority’s application for nearly $621,000 in airport improvement funding for a runway crack-seal, seal coat and remarking project. The agreement stipulates that any local matching money would be covered by the airport’s accounts.

— Signed off on a $60,000 grant Ohio EPA awarded to the engineer’s office for articulating snow plow blades.

— Authorized the Regional Planning Commission to submit its application for $228,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding for fiscal year 2026.

— Participated in the second public hearing on Regional Planning’s application for $700,000 in funding through the Community Housing Impact and Preservation Program for PY 2026. If approved, the county would realize $400,000 for the county’s program and the remainder for the city of Toronto.

— Gave Bricker, Graydon and Wyatt, a Columbus-based law firm, the go-ahead to represent Tenaska in its efforts to develop and permit a new power plant in Jefferson County. Bricker, Graydon and Wyatt in the past has counseled commissioners on financial matters, bonds, the spec building project and legal issues pertaining to Eastern Gateway Community College.

The firm will not be representing Jefferson County’s interests with respect to the project and, in the event of litigation at some point in the future, would withdraw from representing their party.

— Reminded residents the courthouse will be closed Monday in observance of Memorial Day.