Summary: A trio of infrastructure projects and three local programs designed to assist low to moderate income residents of Wayne County will receive funding under the Community Development Block Grant program if Wayne Countys grant application is accepted.
The Wayne County Commissioners have approved the submission of an application for $343,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) formula funding for the 2011 fiscal year.
The federal Community Development Block Grant program is a flexible program that provides communities with resources to address a wide range of unique community development needs. Started in 1974, the program is one of the longest continuously run programs at the Department of Housing and Urban Development and provides annual grants to 1180 local and state entities.
Federal Community Development Block Grant Small Cities Program funds come to the County through the Ohio Department of Developments Office of Housing and Community Partnerships.
The application process for requests for individual project funding was set in motion earlier this year when county officials notified all Wayne County entities of the availability of CDBG funds.
According to Lisa Johnson of the Wayne County Planning Department the county received six applications from organizations and political entities across the county including and two applications from the Wayne County Engineers Office for a pair of large projects.
After hearing testimony during a series of required public hearings all six of the applications submitted by local communities and organizations were accepted.
According to Johnson a trio of infrastructure improvement projects will be included in this years CDBG application.
The first is a request from the City of Orrville for $50,000 for a city parking lot resurfacing project that is expected to cost a total of $57,000. The City of Rittman is also requesting $34,000 to fully fund a street light replacement program while the Village of Shreve is requesting $50,000 on to an estimated $64,450 backup generator for its water treatment plant.
The Public Defender is also requesting laptop computers for their attorneys so they can take their laptops right into the courtroom and get their discovery information, said Johnson noting that the $7,000 in CDBG funds would fully fund the project.
Two local agencies have also requested CDBG allocations.
According to Johnson Community Action Wayne/Medina transportation program is requesting $65,000 for its medical and general transportation program for low to moderate income residents of Wayne County. The remaining $1,000 to fund that program will come from a federal Community Services Block Grant.
The Viola Startzman Free Clinic would also receive CDBG funds totaling $79,600 of its $797,850 annual budget to help cover the costs of medical and dental appointments and medication for its clients.
Also included in the grant application is $6,000 for a contract with a fair housing consultant. The remaining balance of the CDBG funding available for this year will be used to defray the administrative costs associated with participation in the CDBG program.
Wayne County Commissioner Ann Obrecht noted that the commissioners met with all the entities that have projects. All had very worthy projects brought forward.
I will say that some of the communities are missing the boat by not applying for CDBG funds because we really only had the six applications this year, Obrecht added.
According to Johnson, Wayne Countys CDBG Small Cities program formula funds allocation for fiscal year 2011 is approximately $30,000 less than the county received during the prior fiscal year.
