(PHOTO BY RENEA KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
CDBG GRANT … Estee Blair from the Maumee Valley Planning Organization discussed the process of applying for the Community Development Block Grant with the Williams County Commissioners, alongside representatives from Edgerton, Montpelier, and Stryker.
By: Renea Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
renea@thevillagereporter.com
During the Williams County Commissioners meeting on Tuesday, January 14th, Estee Blair from the Maumee Valley Planning Organization presented for the first hearing regarding the Community Development Block Grant for program year 2025.
Blair outlined the timeline for the 2025 program, detailing the application process, the number of available slots for the county, and the types of projects that would be eligible.
She emphasized that each project must include an estimated cost and highlighted the importance of defining the service area and identifying who will benefit from the project. Many of the proposed projects should be located in low- to moderate-income areas.
She stated that low-to-moderate income populations are the most common national objective used. Often, this requires municipalities to conduct an income survey of the entire village or just specific areas that will benefit from the service.
Typically, individual municipalities propose projects and submit them to Maumee Valley Planning and then present them to the commissioners, who have the final say on which projects will be sent to the state.
Edgerton Village Administrator Dawn Fitzcharles suggested creating a work group this year instead. Each municipality would present their projects, allowing everyone, including the commissioners, to see what is happening in each community.
“I’ll be honest, I have very little to no conversation with any of you folks about what’s happening in those communities and what’s coming up and what’s going on,” said Commissioner Rummel. Rummel also stated that he would like more collaboration among everyone.
Project applications are due to Maumee Valley Planning by March 7, 2025 and the commissioners will select projects to the state around April or May.
The award from the state would take place in fall or winter 2025 so that projects would begin 2026 with a completion date of August 31, 2027.
The commissioners recently met with Grant Sims from the Board of Elections to discuss the current status of the election office.
Grant mentioned that activities have definitely slowed down since the election period, but the office is preparing for the upcoming May statewide special election.
Commissioner Lirot brought up a concern he had heard regarding an issue that occurred during the election related to the ballots.
Grant explained that there was a lapse in ballot proofing regarding the Saint Joe issue, which they did not discover until about ten days later—an unfortunate timing for such a revelation.
“So, what actually happened?” Lirot inquired. Grant clarified that the issue was intended to appear on two different ballot styles; however, it mistakenly only appeared on one.
The matter, which involved a fire renewal, will be addressed again in the special election in May.