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LISBON -- Columbiana County commissioners agreed Wednesday to fund projects in Columbiana, East Liverpool, Leetonia, Salem and Wellsville with the county's 2019 federal CDBG allocation.
Commissioners approved spreading their $390,000 allocation among those five communities on the recommendation of county Development Director Tad Herold, who said there were many worthy projects of the 12 submitted for funding by 10 communities.
"This has probably been the most difficult year" since becoming director about five years ago, he said.
Commissioner Mike Halleck agreed. "It was very tough. We went back and forth. There were a lot of good projects," he said.
The $390,000 is being distributed in the following manner:
∫ Columbiana: $100,000 to help the city install storm sewers to benefit 147 households in the vicinity of North, Pearl, West Salem, Northwest and North Middle streets. The total project cost is $2.2 million, with Columbiana contributing $350,000 of its own funds. The city is seeking a combination of state grants and loans to cover the rest.
"It's an important storm water project to reduce flooding in a portion of the city," Herold said, adding Columbiana can use the county's contribution as a local match needed to seek state grants.
∫ East Liverpool: $66,000 to help the city resurface the road between St. George Street and Virginia Avenue. The city is contributing nothing to the project, nor has it secured any state funding.
∫ Leetonia: $45,000 to help the village develop a "pocket" park in the downtown. The project costs $57,000, with Leetonia contributing the remaining $12,000. Herold said the project is an integral part of Leetonia's efforts to revitalize the downtown.
∫ Salem: $100,000 to help the city repave portions of Franklin and Railroad streets in the heavily traveled industrial section of town. The total project cost is $151,131, with Salem contributing $51,130.
∫ Wellsville: $79,000 ($39,000 more than was sought) to help the village make improvements to four intersections that have deteriorated because of heavy truck traffic. The estimated cost of repairing all four intersections as originally proposed is $409,500, with Wellsville contributing nothing at this point.
Herold said the county only intends to help Wellsville with one intersection and wants a commitment from the village that it will come up with additional money. The total cost for the one intersection is an estimated $123,000. He said completing one intersection could increase Wellsville's chances of obtaining state grants to do the other intersections.
tgiambroni@mojonews.com