T-L Photo/CARRI GRAHAM Mary Jo Westfall, associate of the Ohio State University Extension Office, talks with Monroe County commissioners last week about projects submitted for Allocation Grant funding.

WOODSFIELD — The Monroe County Board of Commissioners has a number of potential projects to review before selecting three for Allocation Grant funding.

Mary Jo Westfall, associate of the Ohio State University Extension Office, met with commissioners March 7 to discuss grant requests for the county’s share of $150,000. The funding opportunity is through the Community Development Block Grant program that helps provide funding for projects that improve low- to moderate-income communities.

Westfall said she received eight applications from townships, villages, fire departments and other county organizations interested in the funding opportunity. The entities and the projects submitted include:

— Center Town Township – culverts on various township roads and making the meeting room handicapped accessible;

— Lee Township – replace culverts and catch basins on various streets in Sardis;

— Wayne Township — replace culverts, repair a road slip and replace a bridge;

— Woodsfield Volunteer Fire Department — new pagers for the department;

— Beallsville – replacement of 300 linear feet of sidewalk on Belmont Avenue;

— Dally Memorial Library — replace back door of library with a handicapped accessible door with automatic open mechanism;

— Sardis Community Center – replace a complete aerator pump for its septic system;

— Monroe County Park District – purchase concrete for a new driveway to Piatt Park.

Westfall noted that they can only select up to three projects. She also recommended waiting until after the Sardis community meeting set for 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Sardis Community Center before making a final decision, as some of the projects submitted for this funding are for Sardis. Those projects could be rolled into one project with these funds acting as matching funds for the Neighborhood Revitalization Grant application. Last month, commissioners selected Sardis as the potential recipient of this year’s $750,000 NRG opportunity. The community will meet this week to discuss possible projects for the grant application.

“I would advise commissioners to just hold off. We’re not making a decision today anyway, but we should know after the 15th what project we’ll be picking for the Allocation for them,” she said. “I’m worried about the match category — it’s really the only category I’m worried about. … We have always put Allocation funds toward the Revitalization grant. We did so two years ago for Center Township, we always do, to try to get the maximum points possible.”

So far, only two projects — Wayne Township and the Woodsfield VFD — have certified matching funds. Westfall said she is still waiting to hear from the others to see what kind of funds they will be able to come up with for matches.

Charlie Brookes, a Center Township trustee, was present at Monday’s meeting. He said they could possibly put up a possible $20,000 match for the $58,600 project the township submitted. He added that they could reduce their request by $12,000 if they were to cut the handicap accessible aspect from the application, for now, to help secure the funds.

Westfall said she will return to meet with Commissioners Diane Burkhart, Bill Bolon and Mick Schumacher on March 21, when they will finish discussion and make their final decision on what projects will move forward on the Allocation Grant application.