LISBON - The long-awaited Glenmoor sewer project reached a milestone Wednesday when Columbiana County commissioners awarded contracts for the first two phases of work.

Central Allied Enterprises of Canton was awarded contract A for $2,895,000 and Utility Contracting of Youngstown won contract B for $4,802,000. The cost of the two contracts together totaled $7,697,000, well under the more than $9.8 million in funding lined up by the county engineer's office to pay for the project.

"It's a big step," Commissioner Penny Traina said, noting the county being able to secure additional grants to help offset the bill for residents was a big victory.

County Engineer Bert Dawson, who also serves as the sanitary engineer, announced in August that residents required to tap into the new sewer service may not have to pay a tap fee depending on the bids. The monthly sewer bill they'll gave to pay hasn't been determined.

The county was ordered to extend sewer service to the Glenmoor/LaCroft areas of St. Clair and Liverpool townships years ago by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency due to the number of failing septic systems in the area. The project estimated at $35 million was slated to take 20 years and involve several phases.

Phases I and II were combined into one project divided into two contracts. Contract A will involve connecting to the existing sewer line on Dresden Avenue and extending it alonog Y & O Road and connecting streets. Contract B will involve the installation of three lift stations and a force main to the west on Y & O Road.

Chief Engineer Troy Graft estimated construction will begin after the first of the year and should take until this time next year to complete. About 425 residences and businesses are expected to tap into the system.

Funding for the project includes: a $250,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission; $354,800 from three years worth of the county's Community Development Block Grant formula grants; a $600,000 grant from Ohio Public Works; $2,8948,000 grant from United States Department of Agriculture; a $1.5 million federal stimulus grant; a 30-year, 0 percent $300,000 loan from Ohio Public Works; a 20-year, 1 percent $500,000 loan from the federal stimulus program; and a 40-year loan from USDA which will have no higher than a 4.5 percent rate which could be cheaper at closing.

In other business, the commissioners approved a two-year grant agreement with First Energy to fund Emergency Management Agency operations for 2010 and 2011. The utility will provide $228,000 the first year and $234,000 the second year. First Energy provides the funding because of the county's proximity to the Beaver Valley nuclear power station, which puts extra requirements on the county that other counties don't have to perform.

"We certainly have appreciated their assistance," Traina said.

Commissioner Jim Hoppel said the relationship with First Energy allows the county to have a superior EMA system which benefits the residents.

East Liverpool-Wellsville NAACP President Tom Jarrett also spoke with commissioners briefly about the importance of the upcoming 2010 census.

Mary Ann Greier can be reached at mgreier@salemnews.net