GALLIPOLIS — Gallia County Commissioners approved the revision of a Southern Ohio Agricultural Community Development Foundation (SOACDF) grant application for the Ohio 850 Improvement Project at the request of the SOACDF Committee during Thursday’s regular meeting.

The first revision is to change the project from construction to a right-of-way acquisition project.

This was done because the committee was concerned that the entire construction project would not be able to be completed within the two year grant time frame, and the right-of-way acquisition portion of the project can be completed within that time frame as it is scheduled to begin in June 2008 and be completed by September 2009.

The second revision is to change the 10 jobs that were to be claimed as being retained from within the Dan Evans Industrial Park and Bob Evans Sausage Plant to 10 jobs being retained at the Bob Evans Farms transportation garage.

Commissioners were reluctant to approve this amendment because if the 10 jobs are not retained until April 2010, then Gallia County will be responsible for paying back $100,000 in funding that has been allotted for this project.

In other business, commissioners reviewed draft evaluations and proposals from Delta Airport Consultants Inc., Rocky River, and Stantec Consulting Services Inc., Columbus, for the Gallia-Meigs Regional Airport projects.

Based on the recommendation of the Airport Authority Board and County Administrator Karen Sprague, commissioners approved the selection of Delta Airport Consultants to continue as the airport consultant for the local airport.

Commissioners approved grant agreement forms from the Governor’s Office of Appalachia as presented by Sprague.

With this grant, Gallia County will receive funding to computerize tax maps for Springfield and Green townships. The grant provides $10,000 for the $20,200 project that will take current hard copy tax maps and create digital maps for the GIS system.

Sprague applied for this grant after County Auditor Larry Betz, County Engineer employees Seth Montgomery and Paul Hutchins, and County Information Technology Director John Grubb met with commissioners to discuss it at the beginning of this year.

Commissioners approved the status reports for the period from Sept. 2, 2007 to March 1, 2008 regarding the 2007 Community Development Block Grant CHIP and HOME grants to be submitted to the Ohio Department of Development.

Commissioners held a bid opening for the Gallia County Jail 2008 meals service contract. Johnson’s Supermarket was the only organization to submit a bid and were therefore awarded the contract pending review by Sprague and the approval of Prosecuting Attorney Jeff Adkins.

Johnson’s bid, $2.65 per meal, is 20 cents more than its current price of $2.45 per meal. The cost increase is cited as being due to the rising cost of milk. The jail provides two meals a day for an average population of 31 prisoners. This comes out to roughly 22,630 meals served annually, which at $2.65 per meal ends up costing just under $60,000 a year.

Commissioners approved a contract for the purchase of publicly funding child care services with Pam Hunt from March 10 to June 30 as presented by Job and Family Services Director Dana Glassburn.

Commissioners accepted a letter of resignation submitted by clerk of the Gallia County Board of Commissioners Barbara Unroe, who will be retiring on March 31.

Commissioners proclaimed March 2008, as Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month and recognized that when “Doors Open” people with developmental disabilities “Can Succeed.”

According to the animal shelter report, during the weeks ending on March 2 and 9, a total of two animals were reclaimed, 23 were euthanized, and 17 were rescued.