Fairport Harbor is hoping to obtain a portion of extra Community Development Block Grant funding that has been offered by Lake County.
Village Council, at its regular November meeting, authorized the filing of an application for a $161,500 Community Development Block Grant. Fairport would use that money to serve as its local financial share of a project that will improve storm and sanitary sewers on Chestnut Street.
If Fairport Harbor is awarded the grant, it would free up existing funds in the village’s budget that could be used to improve other roads, Mayor Timothy Manross said.
With Chestnut Street, the village is intending to upgrade storm and sanitary sewers on the entire length of the thoroughfare, which runs between Fifth and Third streets. Village Administrator Amy Cossick said the project on Chestnut Street would involve:
• New lines for the entire sanitary main sewer
• Replacing about 1,000 feet of storm sewer
• Storm and sanitary lateral upgrades for all properties
• Pavement resurfacing for the entire length of Chestnut after work is completed.
Total cost of the Chestnut Street endeavor is estimated at $825,000. In October, Village Council approved a resolution to seek a $350,000 grant and $50,000 loan for the project from the Ohio Public Works Commission.
Aside from the OPWC money, the funding package for the project also consists of $425,000 in local revenue. The Lake County Utilities Department and Lake County Stormwater Management Department are contributing a combined $263,500, while Fairport Harbor is accountable for $161,500.
Fairport Harbor found a possible alternative to taking money from its general fund budget for its local match when Lake County recently announced the availability of $800,000 in additional CDBG funds.
Specifically, the county stated in a public notice that an extra $800,000 in fiscal year 2022 CDBG money was being offered for activities in the Public Facilities/Improvements Category. Examples of eligible uses are “acquisition, construction, or installation of public works, facilities, and site or other improvements or rehabilitation of buildings or improvements,” the county stated in its announcement.
Entities seeking grants from this latest round of CDBG funding had until Nov. 16 to submit applications to the Lake County Planning and Community Development Department.
Lake County gets an annual allocation from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to administer the CDBG funds. The county accepts applications every spring from interested communities for housing programs, economic development projects, public improvements and public services.
County commissioners then approve a list of recipients each year, specifying what projects or activities will be funded with their grants.
In regard to the $800,000 in additional funding offered, Lake County described the allocation in its notice as “a proposed substantial amendment to the consolidated plan/2022 annual action plan” for the CDBG program.
The extra funding would come from “available program income and prior year funds of the Community Development Block Grant Program from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development,” the notice stated.
