By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
COVID relief funds are offering Wood County and Bowling Green the opportunity to do a lot of good with a lot of money.
The Wood County Commissioners have a total of $25.4 million to disperse, while the City of Bowling Green has a total of $7.3 million to divvy up.
Bowling Green Mayor Mike Aspacher has called the funding an “historic opportunity.”
“Absolutely, there was a feeling that this is an opportunity to do significant things that will last,” said Wood County Administrator Andrew Kalmar.
The pots of money have brought out requests for projects hungry for funding.
Among those projects is $9 million approved to extend public water and sewer services to the homes in Dunbridge.
“It’s going to change the lives of those people in Dunbridge,” Kalmar said.
In Bowling Green, $4 million has already been committed to street paving, first responder radio equipment, paving at City Park, an inclusive playground at Carter Park, and housing grants.
The public is invited to a forum on Thursday, May 12, at 6 p.m., to share ideas for the nearly $3 million remaining in the Bowling Green funding. So far the ideas range from pickleball courts and dog parks to more downtown parking, traffic lights and roundabouts.
The requests far outnumber the dollars available for the city and county.
The Wood County Commissioners have been listening to groups pleading for a share of the one-time funding.
So far, the county has received requests for nearly $42 million. And there may be more requests coming, Kalmar said.
The county’s available $25.4 million is divided into two spending areas:
- $15.4 million for American Rescue Plan Act projects eligible under the rules from the U.S. Treasury Department.
- $10 million that the county can claim as revenue lost due to COVID. This funding can be spent on government services with far fewer restrictions than ARPA projects.
The commissioners have approved some projects in both buckets of money.
In the funding specifically for ARPA projects, the county has approved:
- $275,000 for premium pay for sheriff’s office and jail staff.
- $9 million for the water and sewer project on Ohio 582 to Dunbridge, requested by the Northwest Water & Sewer District.
- $400,000 for water and sewer lines to the Mercer Road, Sugar Ridge area, also requested by the Northwest Water & Sewer District.
- $1 million to identify and replace lead water lines throughout the county, requested by the Northwest Water & Sewer District.
- $800,000 to the Cocoon Shelter.
- $437,500 for stormwater issues on Deimling Road, requested by the Wood County Engineer.
- $530,000 for stormwater issues on East Broadway Road, also requested by the Wood County Engineer.
That leaves about $3 million left, but nearly $16 million in other requests. Projects requested, with no decision so far, include:
- $4.1 million, or whatever amount is available, for water lines in Pemberville.
- $10.9 million, or whatever amount is available, for water lines in North Baltimore.
- $871,280 for Habitat for Humanity of Wood County.
In the $10 million fund to make up lost revenue for the county, the commissioners have approved:
- $394,673 for a stormwater study requested by the Wood County Engineer.
- Tentative approval of $3 million for expansion of the Wood County Landfill.
- Tentative approval of $4 million for air handling systems in the county buildings.
That leaves at least $2.6 million – or more depending on the tentative amounts approved. So far other requests have been made for $7.2 million more, including:
- $3.4 million for a county-wide dispatching system for the Wood County Sheriff’s Office.
- $3.8 million for the county’s 19 townships to each improve one mile of roadway, for an estimated $200,000 each.
The request for help with township road improvements was made on Tuesday. But Kalmar said the county’s COVID relief funds cannot be used for road or bridge projects – unless it involves improvements needed as a result of drainage repairs.
However, Kalmar said the county is expecting news soon on the federal infrastructure funds that could possibly be used for the township road request.
“I believe there will be more money soon,” Kalmar said.
