May 25, 2007 By Amy Zalar 4 min read

A Charleroi company will perform the five-year dry dock and inspection service for the Fredericktown Ferry, as the result of a contract approved Thursday by the Fayette County commissioners. The cost of the $57,000 contract will be shared with Washington County, which jointly runs the ferry with Fayette County. The U.S. Coast Guard mandates the work be performed every five years.

Paul Nixon, head of the bridge department, said although he sent out 10 bid packets, he only received two bids in return. Nixon said five years ago, when the project was not put out to bid, Blank Welding of Elizabeth performed the work for about $16,000. Nixon said when the owner of Blank Welding was contacted this time around he was upset the project was being put out to bid and did not submit a bid.

Nixon said only two bids were received, from Campbell and Ohio River Salvage of Cresson, which submitted a bid of $75,000.

Although Nixon said the underside of the ferry hasn’t been painted in 18 years and needs painted, but that wasn’t part of the bid specifications, although Campbell said they would perform the work for $8,000.

County manager Warren Hughes said painting was not part of the specifications because the Coast Guard does not require it. Hughes added that late last year, commissioners from Fayette, Greene and Washington counties decided to seek to use $500,000 in grant money allocated to the Port of Pittsburgh Commission that was left over from a Pittsburgh water-taxi project for ferry maintenance. Hughes said if that grant money is received, the ferry could be painted using those funds.

Solicitor Joseph E. Ferens Jr. said because the painting was not put in the bid specifications, the commissioners could not award a bid to include painting.

The ferry, the last of three original ferries to run across the Monongahela River in Washington County, transports riders between LaBelle in Fayette County and East Fredericktown in Washington County. The majority of riders work at SCI-Fayette.

The ferry is convenient for those traveling to the maximum-security prison from Greene or Washington counties, because the nearest bridges over the river are several miles away, heading north or south. And while the state plans to build a bridge a few miles from the prison as part of the Uniontown-to-Brownsville link of the Mon/Fayette Expressway, that project is years away.

Although Fayette County handles the ferry operation, the two counties split the cost to run it, generally by using state liquid fuels money allocations.

In other action, the commissioners tabled action regarding the resignation of Audra Burd, a county caseworker 2 for the Fayette County Mental Health/Mental Retardation Agency. Jim Moore, human resource director, said Burd submitted her resignation effective May 18, but then changed her mind about leaving. The action was tabled so information could be obtained about how to handle the issue.

The commissioners accepted the resignation of Veteran’s Affairs Director Donald Seroka, effective May 18. During public comment, veteran Jim Smith told the commissioners the salary is lower than directors in neighboring counties, and the office needs to have flexible hours for the director. He also urged the commissioners to give the veteran’s office updated computer equipment and said the veteran’s liaison committee is willing to work with the commissioners.

The commissioners rejected all bids received for used Fayette Area Coordinated Transportation vehicles, because each of the bids only contained one copy, although the bid specifications asked for more. The vehicles will be advertised for sale again.

A motion was approved to ratify an addendum to an agreement with Pitney Bowes for “Shape Based Rating Module” for $115 per month to expire June 30, 2010, due to postal increases.