LISBON — The agency which oversees food assistance and other federally-funded programs to help low-income families isn’t feeling the effect just yet of the federal government shutdown, according to the local agency director.

Columbiana County Department of Job and Family Services Director Rachel Ketterman responded to a question from county Commissioner Mike Halleck Wednesday on how the shutdown was affecting the agency operations.

“We should be okay,” she said.

Most of the programs still have their funding and they’re funding as normal, depending on how long the shutdown goes on.

“We’re just taking it month by month,” she said.

As of Friday, the government remained shut down.

During the commissioners’ meeting, Commissioner Tim Ginter gave a brief update on construction of the new county records archive, located on East Chestnut Street in Lisbon between North Nelson Avenue and North Jefferson Street.

“It’s really going up and starting to look like a building now,” he said, adding the decking is down and walls are up.

He’s expecting the contractor to start backfilling later this month. The $7 million-plus contract for design and construction was awarded to C. Tucker Cope Design-Build Inc. of Columbiana. According to the contract, the guaranteed maximum price was set at $6,458,913 plus an additional $620,000 for allowances.

Previous plans for the records retention facility called for construction of a two-story, 24,600-square-foot, climate-controlled, secure block and brick building with a dry chemical fire suppression system, a commercial shredder, freight elevator and office space.

In other business, the commissioners adopted the county hazard mitigation plan, which county Emergency Management Agency Director Peggy Clark said is required to be updated every five years and is required under federal law.

“We look at all of the hazards that could impact any area of Columbiana County and come up with plans on how to mitigate any hazards,” she said.

According to the resolution adopted by commissioners, who recognized the threat natural disasters can pose, the plan “identifies mitigation goals and actions to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and property in the county from the impacts of future hazards and disasters.”

Clark thanked all the people who helped update the plan, including township trustees, mayors, commissioners, the EMA, engineer’s office, county health district, local utilities, GIS, port authority, mental health, EMS, city/safety directors, fire departments and county Soil and Water Conservation District.

Commissioners appointed Frank Mader of East Liverpool as a new member of the Columbiana County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board. CCMHRSB Executive Director Lori Colian was in the audience and spoke highly of Mader, who previously worked as director of IT at East Liverpool City Hospital and will bring good business experience to the board.

A resolution was adopted to allow the president of the board of commissioners to act as county representative in conjunction with the Fiscal Year 2025 Community Development Block Grant formula allocation ad all competitive set aside programs.

The commissioners also decreased the contract spending ceiling with the Community Action Agency of Columbiana County for the SNAP employment and training program transportation by $35,000 from $50,000 down to $15,000. Ketterman said the state’s allocation was cut so now the county allocation needs cut. Funding comes from Food Assistance Education Training.

The next meeting of commissioners will be 9 a.m. Oct. 22 at the downtown courthouse.