STEUBENVILLE — Jefferson County Commissioners are finally ready to advertise for bids for a new chiller for the Justice Center, but the work likely won’t get underway until much later this year.

Maintenance Supervisor Patrick Boyles said the plan “is to have the doorway enlarged to the ‘penthouse’ sometime in the fall in preparation for the chiller to be installed over the winter months.” A penthouse is a small room or building on top of a facility that houses equipment.

Boyles said the chiller provides air conditioning for the building.

“The existing chiller is the age of the building, 32 years, and at the end of its lifespan,” he said. “I have recommended that we be proactive and replace it before it fails and cannot be economically repaired. The current costs of operation and maintenance of the existing chiller are becoming too high.”

Kurt Scheer, director of engineering at McKinley Architecture & Engineering, notified commissioners Thursday the drawings and construction documents for the update are completed, so they’re ready to move on to the next step in the process.

Commissioners agreed to advertise for bids to replace the chiller at the Jefferson County Justice Center.

The work will include a direct chiller replacement, electrical connections and the addition of a new double door from the mechanical room to the roof. Estimated cost is $648,578– a little over $585,000 in construction costs alone.

Commissioners also agreed to advertise the Ohio Public Works Commission’s County Road 8 (Dry Fork Road) and township resurfacing project, which will include various roads in Knox, Salem and Smithfield townships. The engineer’s estimate is $944,025 and will be partially funded by OPWC.

In other matters, the commissioners:

— Accepted a written letter of resignation from Maintenance Supervisor Patrick Boyles, effective July 3. Boyles, who had hoped to retire months ago, stayed on while they found his replacement. Boyles has spent the past few weeks training his successor, Mitch Morelli.

— Signed off on the 2026 tree removal project contract with Duffy Tree Services. This year’s price tag is around $79,497.

— Were notified by Probate Judge Frank Noble that Sam Clark and Dan Cermak have been appointed to the Friendship Park District Commission.

— Approved extensions to Gulfport Energy’s Master Road Use Maintenance Agreement for its Angelo, Schubert, Extreme, Limestone and Kinyo well sites, as well as Ascent Resources’ Downing and Bodhi sites.