A lapse between cleaning contracts leaves officials looking for someone to clean up a potential mess.

BEAVER — Officials are trying to avoid a messy situation at some county-owned buildings.

Beaver County's cleaning contracts for several of its properties expire at the end of September. However, the new contracts aren't slated to begin until Nov. 1, leaving the Beaver Falls building that houses the county's community development program and its human services buildings without cleaning services.

Tiger Pause, a Beaver Falls-based youth ministry, offered to clean the community development building on Eighth Avenue in October for $550, chief county solicitor Garen Fedeles said. But there have been no bids to clean the human services building.

To add to the problem, the cleaning contract for the county's eight magisterial district justice offices expires at the end of September. Bids are due later this month for that contract, Fedeles said, and county officials will have to determine if they will accept the bid.

Commissioner Sandie Egley was incredulous that the county is struggling to find a contractor for October.

"It's amazing that somebody in Beaver County doesn't want a cleaning contract," Egley said during Wednesday's board of commissioners work session.

Chief county clerk Cynthia Cook will meet with the entity that cleans the courthouse this week, Fedeles said, to see if they would consider a temporary contract for the community development building during October.