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NEWTON FALLS -- The long awaited Scott Street sanitary sewer improvement project is set to begin this year after the village secured a $2.9 million forgiveness loan and other funding to make the project possible.
Village officials have been working with Trumbull County officials and Newton Township trustees to secure $3.7 million for the project, along with $900,000 from the county commissioners.
Manager Pam Priddy, who has served the village for two years, said $875,000 came from Eastgate Regional Council of Governments and $2.9 million was a forgiveness loan from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.
"All of us working together made this project possible," Priddy said. "We wanted to continue with this project and when we secured the $2.9 million forgiveness loan, we knew we could proceed."
Village council this month approved a bid from Pollard Land Services Inc. of Girard for the second phase of the sewer project in the amount of $3,495,987.
The village had Thomas Fok and Associates, the project's engineers, prepare bid instructions and specifications for the project.
"With that grant, they have a timeline of 10 months to complete that project," Priddy said.
She said the sewer project will benefit 111 homes on the village's sewer system.
Priddy said another major grant being waited on is the Appalachian Regional Commission grants. Approximately $5 million is being sought for work at the community center and the other $2.5 million for a project along the Mahoning River as a partnership with Eastgate.
"These are a little different than other grants where you apply individually as a community," Priddy said. "The Appalachian grants involve the community center and 20 other projects seeking funds. We have heard that all 20 projects look good for receiving funding. If not, all 20 will be rejected together."
She said the village should know the final decision before the end of the year with funding being awarded in January.
Brian Gorog of OHM Advisors, who is working with the village to seek grants, said the village is on the narrow list for the Appalachian Community Grant program. The list contained more than 300 projects, but has now been narrowed to about 20, including the community center, he said. OHM submits information for grants on the village's behalf.
Gorog said there are no matching grants needed to receive the Appalachian funding.
Priddy said the community center and the river project are separate projects seeking the Appalachian funding.
OHM also is helping the village seek funds for a charging station either with funding from AMP Ohio or the Appalachian funds.
Priddy said charging stations cost between $50,000 and $100,000. She said the grant with AMP Ohio would be for $50,000 and the one from Appalachian funding would be $100,000.
She said the location of the charging stations has not been determined but officials would like to have them in the village's downtown so people can simply charge their cars while they are shopping or eating dinner.
"The location will depend on what kind of electric we will need and what our electric system needs to handle it," Priddy said.
She said the village also is seeking funding for a $1.2 million electric department project for overhauling a substation that has some parts that are more than 50 years old. There is concern of a power outage and the substation not being able to handle it.
Plans are to upgrade the substation with AMP Ohio funds or other funding sources such as grants and low-interest or forgiveness loans.
"We are still in the works on that one to find funding sources," Priddy said.
Priddy said when she started as village manager, the infrastructure was not being kept up to date. There was no funding being set aside for things like the dams.
A town hall meeting is set for 5 p.m. today to discuss needed work at the dams, water plant and other water system needs of up to $10 million. The goal is to improve the water quality at the water plant.
Priddy said the Low Head Dam, which is the water source for the village, Southington and West Framington, "is beyond repair."
"We are looking at moving the dam or tearing that one down" she said. "We will discuss at the town hall how important the infrastructure is. The water plant is due for an upgrade. It was upgraded 20 years ago."
Priddy said there has been concerns about sediment coming into the water intake at the plant and the need for more chemical to treat the water.
If the dam is moved, it would increase the water quality and cost less in chemicals.
Priddy said the EPA will require upgrades to the water plant so funding will be sought.
Listed below are some of the grants Newton Falls obtained in past few years.
• A $75,000 Ohio Department of Natural Resources grant for paddle launch built on First Street by the Low Head Dam.
• A $12,000 NOPEC grant for a lighting project and a speaker system in the village's downtown area. That project includes a speaker system in the park area and lighting along the park walkway. Work will be completed next spring when additional lights come in.
• A $3,000 mosquito grant from the Trumbull County Combined Health District, which the village received two years in a row.
• A $1,660 "Go Green" recycling grant from Geauga-Trumbull Solid Waste Management District, which the village also received two years in a row.
SOURCE: Village of Newton Falls