Waterville Businesses Make Property Improvements Thanks To Community Development Block Grants
BY NANCY GAGNET — MIRROR REPORTER
If you’ve noticed that buildings in downtown Waterville look a bit shinier and newer, you’re not imagining things, as many owners have taken advantage of grant funds to make improvements to their properties.
“It was real easy getting approval. I was happy about that,” said Paul Croy of Robison Curphey and O’Connell law firm. Croy received funding to renovate the 1830 building that houses his office on Farnsworth Road.
The funds for improvement projects are part of a $400,000 Community Development Block Grant, or CDBG, Waterville received from the Ohio Department of Development in December 2006.
Of that money, $165,000 is designated to commercial property in the downtown area for façade improvements and compliance upgrades.
Through the program, the village provided a 50/50 match for improvement costs up to $10,000 for each project. Council voted on March 10 to raise the amount it would match to $20,000.
Thus far, 14 improvement projects have been completed or are in progress.
Croy applied for the grant last fall, and was approved by the Waterville historic district committee and the Ohio Historic Preservation Office. Three bids were required for the project.
Charlie Duck, of Duck Custom Homes, completed the work, which included new custom windows, new siding and insulation. This spring, the building will also receive a fresh coat of paint.
“I was very happy with the work that Charlie did on the building. He was great to work with and I think did an excellent job,” Croy said. “Old buildings are not the easiest thing to work on.”
Duck said the project moved forward because the state was flexible with its requirements.
Originally the Ohio Historic Preservation Office suggested using wood siding; however, the cost would have been substantially higher, so the office approved the use of cement board, an alternative material that cost much less.
“They worked with Paul on the project and it wouldn’t have happened otherwise,” Duck said.
Work began in January and was completed in March.
Robison, Curphey & O’Connell is based in Toledo and has offices in Waterville, Findlay, Adrian and Monroe. Croy owned the building with his law partner, Sherry Hendel, who recently passed away. Her husband, Greg, who works as an accountant in Maumee, will continue to own her share of the building.
With $28,000 of his own money invested for the improvements, Croy received a $10,000 reimbursement from the village through the grant.
He would like to make further improvements and would consider applying for additional grant funds for those projects.
“I am happy they are increasing the matching amount, as there are always plenty of more things to do,” he said.
The Waterville Historical Society also received grant funds for three projects at Wakeman Hall, the building that houses the archive research center and meeting facility.
“We were extremely pleased with the process,” said Phyllis Hyder of the historical society.
“Debbie Hanna, the grant administrator, worked closely with two of the society’s board members, Bud Ziegler and Jim Stoma, and walked them through the necessary paperwork in a process that we found surprisingly painless,” she said.
She also said Hanna worked directly with the three contractors chosen for the project and made herself readily available to assist them in every step of the process.
“Our committee was delighted to receive the matching grant money by check just a couple of days after each project was completed and paid for. Our checkbook balance was replaced so rapidly, we hardly noticed the brief dent,” Hyder said.
Jim Bagdonas, village administrator, is pleased with the manner in which the grant has been applied.
“We’re very happy the process is coming together to make assistance available to restore buildings in the business district,” he said.
Hanna said funds are still available and that the grant is not just for property owners.
“Business owners can also do this as long as they get approval from the property owner,” she said.
To be eligible, projects must be completed by September 2008.
For more information regarding improvement funds, call Hanna at (419) 377-4126 or e-mail at dhanna@bex.net.
School Officials Say Levy Must Pass In 2008 To Avoid Massive Layoffs
BY KAREN BERGER — MIRROR REPORTER
“Our backs are against the wall,” Anthony Wayne Local Schools superintendent Dr. John Granger told the school board Monday night during the first meeting after a 6.5-mill levy failed March 4.
If a levy doesn’t pass by the end of the year, the result will be massive layoffs and program cuts, Granger told the school board during a packed meeting. The 6.5-mill levy had consisted of a renewal of a five-year, 3.25-mill emergency levy that expires at the end of the year, as well as 3.25-mill operating levy. Both would have generated $6 million.
If a levy does not pass by the end of the year, the district faces a $1.3 million deficit, treasurer Kerri L. Johnson said. The Ohio Department of Education may consider moving the district from fiscal caution status to fiscal watch because of next year’s projected deficit, Johnson said. Because districts are not allowed to operate in a deficit, cuts will need to be made.
Granger and board member Pam Gerhardinger said community members questioned why the renewal and the new levy were not placed on the ballot separately.
As the board considers its options, one is to place just the 3.25-mill renewal levy on the ballot. While that five-year levy would provide a June 2009 balance of $233,190, more cuts would need to be made to avoid a deficit of $1.15 million in June 2010, Johnson said.
An August election would require a board decision by the April 14 meeting. A special election would cost the district $60,000 to 80,000, but a November election would cost less.
Other options the board may consider include an income tax ranging from 0.25 to 1 percent. Perrysburg and Bowling Green both use income taxes to fund their schools.
In the meantime, Johnson told principals to restrict all supply and equipment purchases to only what is needed to finish the end of the year.
After the May 2007 levy failure, the administration cut $1.6 million through staff reductions and attrition. The 11 staff members who indicated their intent to leave at the end of the school year may not be replaced.
The board also approved a revised organizational chart, in which the assistant superintendent’s position was eliminated. The position, held by Amy Miller, paid out $133,449 in salary, insurance and benefits, Johnson said. When combined with the recent elimination of three other administrative cuts, that totals $510,511.
As part of the administrative reorganization, Granger plans to bring back a curriculum and instructor director and a human resources director.