Villages look at Community Development Block Grant dollars for sidewalk, road improvements

  • By Nick Sabo
  • February 25, 2013
  • 298
                        
At least four local entities have their eye on an expected $159,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds. Holmes County Planning Director Arnold Oliver said Thursday, Feb. 21 that Salt Creek Township and the villages of Glenmont, Holmesville and Killbuck have expressed interest in using Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) dollars to pay for improvements to their respective communities. Oliver made the statement at a public hearing held by the Holmes County commissioners regarding the 2013 CDBG. The grant program is backed by the Ohio Development Services Agency. The agency has yet to put a number on how much Holmes County will receive, Oliver said. “We don’t know how much we have,” Oliver said. “The state has told us to forge ahead with our public hearing and use last year’s number.” To be eligible for the CDBG, the applying entity must meet income thresholds for low, to moderate, income. Oliver said that Glenmont is interested in applying for repairs to their community center roof, as well as some sidewalk repairs. Holmesville has likewise asked for funds for sidewalks and a road resurfacing, and Killbuck is interested in using CDBG dollars to fund a zoning/planning study, Oliver said. The planning/zoning study is eligible for up to $10,000 but no more, Oliver said. Salt Creek Township Trustee Clifford Kandel showed up at the hearing to explore funding a sidewalk project for Benton. Kandel said the sidewalks in Benton are in need of attention at a time when they are being used more. Kandel said the sidewalks have rebar showing in some places. “We have quite a few walkers in Benton and the sidewalks are in bad shape,” Kandel said. “In the last 10 years the walkers have tripled.” Kandel said there are 600-700 feet of sidewalk that would be included in the repairs. The sidewalks all run along county roads or state Route 241, Kandel said. Oliver said that he believes Salt Creek Township does not meet low- to moderate income levels but said Benton, in part or as a whole, may. He urged Kandel to complete a survey as soon as possible. The survey can include the project area only or the entire village, Oliver said. The four projects could use up all of the available funding. “It’s looking like we may have more requests than we have money,” Oliver said. The county engineer will review the projects and come up with an estimate for each. The projects will be awarded by the commissioners after a second public hearing June 6. Last year’s CDBG funds were allocated for a public parking lot surfacing in Charm and repairs to the Lake Memorial Park pavilion in Lakeville.


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