GALLIPOLIS — The Gallia County Board of Commissioners received an update of the work release center from Gallia County Sheriff Joe Browning during their regular meeting on Thursday at the Gallia County Courthouse.

Browning met with the board to discuss funding for the center that is slated to open in the upcoming weeks. The center has been approved for funding from the state through the Bureau of Adult Detention and Community Correction. However, the funding has not been received yet and Browning reported that they may need supplemental funding from the county to cover bills for the facility until the grant money is received. The county would then be reimbursed after the state funding is allocated. Although the center, which is located in Cheshire, has not be officially opened, Browning reported that the sheriff’s office has sent several inmate test groups through the center, with the court’s permission.

“We’ve seen an impact on the jail population just with what we’ve been able to do,” Browning said. “We went from being way overcrowded in the jail, to where it’s more manageable now.”

However, the center is still in need of kitchen supplies and other inventory materials. The work release center did receive donated items, for which Browning and his colleagues are very thankful, from Green Elementary and Rio Grande Elementary that have greatly helped with the supply needs.

The commissioners stated that they would seek out other items that could be possibly donated to the work release center and they also told Browning that they would be more than willing to assist with the funding issues once more specific information is obtained.

The commissioners also met with Gallia County Clerk Noreen Saunders to discuss the possibility of implementing an online payment system for the payment of court costs.

The online payment system would be handled through a private online payment company that would allow individuals to pay with credit cards, electronic check transfers or debit cards. Saunders also reported that the county would not be responsible for bad checks.

“I think it is a great idea to move forward with and I encourage it,” County Commission President Joe Foster said.

County Treasurer Steve McGhee was also present to give the commissioners information about tax collection in the county. McGhee reported that he foresees that tax collection will remain steady throughout this fiscal year. However, the treasurer also stated that he has noticed a slightly higher trend in tax delinquency and a trend toward slower payments.

“People are holding onto their money a little longer before they pay their tax bill,” McGhee said. “We are still fairly fortunate in Gallia County; people do a really good job with paying their taxes.”

Children’s Services Director Russ Moore was also present at the meeting to provide the commissioners an update of his agency. Moore reported that his agency is “very stable and doing very well.”

“We are serving the families the we need to, not as much as we would like to be able to, based on our circumstances,” Moore said. “I am very confident that, when we are made aware of the situation, we are getting out there and protecting the children.”

Several contractors were present during the Thursday meeting for three bid openings for upcoming projects in the county. Two of these projects involve the repair of hangars at the Gallia-Meigs Airport. Three local contracting companies presented bids for the two projects.

The bids for the repair of the first hangar ranged from $197,000-$247,000. The bids for the second airport hangar project ranged from $76,000-$148,000. The bids were turned over to Airport Authority President Brett Little and engineer Randy Breech of Breech Engineering Company of Gallipolis for review and recommendation.

The third bid opening was for County Engineer Brett Boothe’s project for a box culvert on Prospect Church Road that will be funded via a Community Development Block Grant. Only one bid was presented from Scioto Valley Precast company of Chillicothe in the amount of $20,910. The bid will be turned over to the county engineer for review and recommendation.