WOODSFIELD — Monroe County officials selected four projects to benefit from the potential $150,000 Community Development Block Grant funding.

Mary Jo Westfall, Ohio State University Extension Office associate, met with the Monroe County Board of Commissioners Monday to discuss the selected projects. The CDBG programs helps to improve low- to moderate-income communities throughout the country by providing essential funding that allows officials to complete numerous projects.

In mid-March, Commissioners Mick Schumacher, Tim Price and Carl Dais selected Center Township, including the village of Woodsfield, as one recipient of the possible grant funding. Initially, the township’s proposed projects included signage for township roads, Jaws-of-Life for the fire department, fencing at the city park, tennis court rehabilitation, paint and a new roof for the community center. Additionally, the Ohio Department of Transportation is planning the Woodsfield downtown island project that is slated to begin in 2021.

Westfall submitted the following projects to commissioners for the 2020 CDBG Allocation Grant funding request at Monday’s meeting:

∫ Center Township — Road signs on various township roads with name and number for emergency first responders. Some “dead end” signs, $11,000;

∫ Wayne Township — Replace 27 windows in the community center building, $21,600;

∫ Woodsfield Fire Department — Modern, battery operated Jaws-of-Life, $29,500;

∫ Beallsville village — Replace 356 feet of sidewalks along Belmont Avenue, $39,200;

∫ Monroe County Park District — Handicapped accessible drinking fountain at Fisher’s Grove, $5,000.

In addition, three of the allotted projects will have local matches in an effort to aid in the approval process. Center Township trustees will provide a $5,600 match for the road signs, the Woodsfield Fire Department will provide an $8,000 cash match for the Jaws-of-Life, and the park district will provide a $500 match for the handicapped drinking fountain.

Since the funding includes up to only four projects, Westfall said that the Center Township project and Woodsfield Fire Department project can be combined into a single project.

“These are the projects we’re going to try for this year,” she said.

The total amount requested for the projects is $106,300. The remaining funds will go toward the village of Woodsfield’s fencing at the city park and other improvements as a match toward the Neighborhood Revitalization Grant, Westfall said.

“Some of the funding will be added for Woodsfield projects. The Neighborhood Revitalization Grant has not yet been finalized,” she said.

The NRG is an extension of the CDBG program and provides a potential $750,000 in community funding opportunities.

Westfall said the official CDBG request submission is due June 17.

“We’ll know in September. That’s when we’ll receive final approval,” she said.

Between late August and early September, the county will find out if it will receive the funding for the aforementioned projects.

Schumacher made a motion to approve the grant request projects as presented by Westfall; the motion was seconded by Davis. The request was unanimously passed.

In other news, Westfall opened up bids for the Brownsville and Township Road 384 paving project. The project is a previous recipient of the 2018 CDBG funding. The estimate for the project is $92,300.

A total of three bids were received;

– K&F Excavating out of Beallsville for $79,690;

– Shelley & Sands out of Marietta for $98,000;

– United Sealing out of Marietta for $109,400.

Westfall will take the bids into consideration and make her recommendation at next week’s meeting. Commissioners will next meet at 9 a.m. Monday at the courthouse in Woodsfield.