GALLIPOLIS — Gallia County Commissioners gave County Engineer Brett Boothe the go ahead to move forward with the Ohio Location Based Response System (LBRS) project during their regular meeting Thursday.

LBRS is sponsored by the Ohio Department of Transportation and makes up part of the e-SecureOhio initiative. Basically, the system is able to provide spatially accurate road centerline data along with verified address ranges and site specific address points.

Boothe said he is interested in the system because it will track accident data in Gallia County to help his office locate “hot spots” and address unsafe roadways.

Gallia County 911 and the Gallia County Auditor’s Office would also benefit from the system. It would aid EMS response time for emergency services by providing more accurate incident locations as well as save the auditor’s office time and money when assessing and identifying properties. Auditor Larry Betz said he is in favor of the system since it would be an added bonus to coincide with the information his office has already obtained.

LBRS would also provide access to reports from the Ohio State Patrol and the Gallia County Sheriff’s Office, among other agencies.

Boothe said he is looking to utilize $90,000 in grant funding from ODOT and a $15,500 federal grant to fund most of this project. Approximately $40,000 in remaining costs will be split between his office, 911, and the auditor’s office; the county is also contemplating contributing to this project, though no funding has been guaranteed at this time.

Boothe said the system should be in place sometime in 2010 and added that the majority of Ohio counties have already implemented or are currently taking steps to implement this system.

The commission also met with Gallipolis City Manager Randy Finney to discuss potential options related to the new municipal building location, which is within seven feet of county property, less than the clear footage required by law. Additionally, Bill Conley’s building on the other side of the property is less than 13 feet away from the corner of the proposed municipal building, also less than the clear footage required by law.

Either way, the county will lose access to a row of 15 parking spaces in the current lot if the new building is constructed where it is marked at this time.

Finney asked the commission if they had any interest in a possible trade of Davis Hall for the entire county parking lot, though he maintained that he has only talked to a couple members of the city commission about it and is really just trying to feel things out at this point. The county commssioners said they would discuss the matter further and asked to review any data the city has on Davis Hall at this time.

Commissioners also reviewed budgets submitted by the IT Department and Gallipolis Municipal Court.