Apr 7, 2006 By Steve Ferris 3 min read

WAYNESBURG – The Greene County Commissioners rejected both bids that were submitted to replace some restrooms at the county fairgrounds. The commissioners voted unanimously in favor of rejecting the bids at Thursday’s meeting after officials said both were more than the $50,000 estimated project cost.

Wrangler Enterprises of Eighty Four bid $84,000 and Higgins Hauling of Waynesburg bid $65,200.

“I feel it’s way too high,” Chief County Clerk Gene Lee said.

Maintenance director Kevin Grey said he estimated the work would cost $50,000.

Lee suggested that county workers could do the job.

Grey said he hopes the work will be done before Memorial Day because a horse show is scheduled for the fairgrounds around that time and a dog show is also on tap.

After the meeting, Lee said the county and the Greene County Fair Board received a $90,000 state grant through state Rep. H. William DeWeese (D-Waynesburg) to remodel the restrooms.

The work has already been done in the 4-H building and an auction building.

The rejected bids were for the largest restrooms in the fairgrounds and are in the cattle barn, Lee said.

He said the horse show is scheduled for the end of May and the dog show for June.

In unrelated business, the commissioners approved a contract with 16 corrections officers at the Greene County Prison who are represented by the Service Employees International Union Local 668.

The four-year contract went into effect in July when the union approved it, Tracy Sheehan Zivkovich, county human resources director, said.

A 50-cent-an-hour pay raise for 2005 went into effect on July 1, she said. The contract includes a 45-cent raise this year, 50 cents in 2007 and 45 cents in 2008.

The commissioners also approved a memorandum of understanding with SEIU Local 668 concerning a four-year contract with nine Greene County Transportation Program van drivers.

The program provides transportation to handicapped residents.

Zivkovich said the drivers used to be in a different union when they worked for Community Action Southwest, but the county took on the employees last year.

She said the memorandum clarifies work conditions and other contract provisions.

The term of the contract is from Jan. 1, 2005, until Jan. 31, 2008.

Zivkovich said the drivers will be on the same pay-raise schedule as other county employees represented by SEIU Local 668.

Before the meeting was adjourned, Pam Snyder, chairwoman of the commissioners, reminded residents that they can check out the new election voting machines at the county’s Web site www.co.greene.pa.us.