WARREN - The Trumbull County Engineer's Office is buying 14 sets of scales, and the Sheriff's Office will have deputies trained on the weighing machines to monitor the weights of trucks traveling on county roads.
It's not being done necessarily to monitor vehicles hauling equipment for the gas and oil well industry, ''it could be any vehicle that they deem looks to be overweight or is suspicious in nature,'' said Don Barzak, engineer's office director of governmental affairs / grants and special projects coordinator.
''Industry-wide there have been some abuses of overweight vehicles not having the correct and proper permits,'' Barzak said.
The scales will cost about $75,000 and take about two months to build once the order is placed, Barzak said.
One deputy is being trained this month to use the equipment and a second will be trained later, said Sheriff Thomas Altiere.
The engineer's office is borrowing money from the county's general fund to pay for the scales to avoid affecting road or bridge projects. The loan would be paid off through fines against vehicles with loads heavier than those allowed by Ohio law.
To haul the scales, the sheriff's office has a military surplus vehicle it got for free from the the U.S. Department of Defense.
Altiere said enforcement will be targeted in complaint areas. ''We are not out to pull over every truck coming through,'' Altiere said.