At the Nov. 12 special meeting the Lawrence County Board of Commissioners authorized a request for qualifications and approved multiple year-end budget transfers, including a large transfer to enable acquisition and improvements at the St. Joseph property on Cascade Street in Newcastle.

The board adopted Resolution 373 to solicit RFQs for structural engineering services to assess, design and oversee structural improvements at the former St. Joseph site. The RFQ package establishes a submission deadline of Monday, Dec. 1, 2025 at 3 p.m. (PDF to Controller Crestopine and Amy McKinney) with public opening at the commissioners’ meeting on Dec. 2 at 10 a.m. County officials emphasized the RFQ will be advertised publicly and that selection will follow standard qualification review; Amy McKinney and Controller Crestopine will jointly review responses.

Commissioners also reviewed and approved a slate of administrative budget transfers typically executed at year-end. Notable items included a $600,000 transfer from the commissioners’ capital contingency to the capital buildings line to cover the planned purchase of the St. Joseph campus (the board signaled this move is part of a multi-step acquisition process and that legal/title work remains ongoing). Other transfers included various departmental adjustments (probation copier $8,225; domestic relations office minor $727.74; public safety radio-site maintenance $5,000; multiple internal reallocations within Mental Health/Developmental Services totaling $420,000 across housing rehab, community services, outpatient, and community partnership categories). Commissioners approved all the listed transfers by roll call.

The board said RFQs and subsequent procurement steps will be handled transparently and publicly; staff will proceed with deed research and scheduling of the closing once legal steps are complete.