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COLUMBIANA -- The city of Columbiana is looking ahead to six construction projects in 2024, funded by about $7 million in grants, according to City Manager Lance Willard.
"2024 is going to be a busy year," Willard said at the regular meeting of Columbiana City Council Tuesday.
The city received a grant from the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) for $1.5 million to pave Fairfield School Road and Lisbon Street, $368,000 from ODOT will cover 95% of the cost of a new sidewalk to Columbiana High School, and a $1.3 million grant will cover 75% of the cost of installation of a three-mile raw water line from Crestview Road.
Willard explained that the city owns a farm field in the area and the goal is to be able to draw water from a different aquifer for the water department.
"Redundancy is a good thing," he said.
Columbiana has also made progress on its 2012 stormwater "wish list," which includes 10 areas to fix stormwater drainage.
Willard said that two projects are already finished and six of the 10 projects will be done by the end of 2025, using a total of $11.5 million in grant funds.
This year, a $1.6 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will cover 87.5% of the cost to improve the stormwater system near Prospect and Court Streets. A $1.3 million FEMA grant will help with the cost of stormwater upgrades near Beverly Drive and Ray Avenue this year.
The city also received a $1 million federal capital funding grant to cover 33% of the total $3 million installation of a new wastewater lift station at the Lakefront that is expected to expand potential access to sewer services to 211 more acres of land.
Council will raise water and sewer price rates, likely sometime in March after the second reading of a resolution setting the new rates.
Willard explained that this is a necessary step for the city to work with the Ohio Development Authority and get the lift station installed, as well as to lift the city's water and wastewater budgets out of operating deficits.
Councilman Ted Souder said the city's water rates haven't increased since 2009 and the wastewater rates haven't gone up since about 2005. He also noted that Lisbon is the only municipality in Columbiana County with lower water rates than the city of Columbiana.
"This rate increase that we're proposing does get us on an even keel and does keep the water and sewer running for as far ahead as we can see, and sustaining itself, which is what we have to have," Souder said.
Willard also ran through a list of city accomplishments in 2023 during the meeting.
The city received $5,441,125 in grants and donations in 2023, making it the second largest year of grant awards since 2014.
Since 2014, Columbiana has secured $38,506,244 in grants, the majority of which went towards infrastructure projects and road improvements.
In 2023, the city painted its one-million-gallon water tank, inside and out, implemented a new public safety alert system, formed a new commercial building department with Salem, and completed the County Line Road sewer assessment project, Willard said.
The city paving crews, working with Fairfield Township, paved three miles of Columbiana's roads last year.
The city also upgraded the water filters at Firestone Pool, purchased new pool shades using a grant from the Columbiana Community Foundation, and laid down new mulch for the playgrounds.
Near the end of his presentation, Willard mentioned goals for the future of Columbiana, such as continuing to promote economic growth, working towards the creation of a new industrial park, continuing to build out the city's fiberoptic high-speed internet network, continue to increase police training and standards, and look for a new administrative building to eventually move city hall to.
ehouk@mojonews.com