Second hearing allows marina grant application to proceed
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WELLSVILLE -- Following a required second public hearing held Tuesday, Wellsville officials can now submit the CDBG (Community Development Block Grant)-Flexible Grant Program application for the Marina Improvement Project.
During the hearing, Mayor Bob Boley and Fiscal Officer Hoi Wah heard from Erin Wright, a senior community development specialist with OMEGA (Ohio Med-Eastern Governments Association). Discussed were topics such as the grant application, a project proposal and a schedule process.
Wright has been working with the village to help it develop projects to improve the village and locate funding sources.
The village was required to hold two public hearings to apply for the grant. The first one was held on Nov. 12 when the public was informed about the CDBG program. The second hearing was to provide information on the marina project.
The marina has been an ongoing challenge. Boley wants to see the marina turned into a locale that would provide recreation for Wellsville residents -- bringing people into the community and boosting the economy.
Wright noted that Wellsville has few options available within the village for outside enjoyment. She stressed that if the village doesn't think outside the box with improved greenspaces and outdoor activities the odds of people wanting to live in or move to Wellsville greatly diminish.
She added it's not just people coming into the village who can provide an economic boost, but the residents and people from the surrounding area would spend more in the village if there was more provided for them.
The marina --which is at risk of being deemed unsafe for residents to use if nothing is done --is set to get a $400,000 facelift if the funding is secured.
The project, which is anticipated to be funded with $250,000 from the CDBG Grant with matching funds in the amount of $150,000 being contributed by the village, will add new boat docks and tresses, improvements made to the concession stand, new fencing, a portable propane tank and a mind dredger for the river. This would allow the marina to be open year-round for people to visit.
Tentatively, the project could also include a shoreline walkway.
The project will need to be completed within 12 months of the grant being executed and can begin as soon as funds are released from the state, according to Wright.
The village has matching funds obtained through another grant and is just waiting for the approval of the CBDG grant. That application will be submitted within the next couple of weeks.
Dredging of the marina is another part of the marina project and has also been a challenge. Cost estimate to do that is $1 million. The Buckeye Water District has agreed to write the dredging into a grant application it is working -- their water intake valves are in the area to be dredged.
Staff of Omega helped facilitate a meeting held Wednesday between village administration and representatives from Pennsylvania and West Virginia to find ways the three states could potentially work together to utilize the waterways and help boost economy. One of the ideas, but not yet pursued, is a water taxi to ferry people across the river.