Wayne County commissioners approve block grant agreement that would fund 5 projects

Nate Powalie
·3 min read

A report from the Wayne County commissioners meetings Wednesday and May 24:

Key action: Approved a resolution authorizing Wayne County to enter into a grant agreement with the Ohio Development Services Agency for five community development projects across the county.

Discussion: Commissioners Ron Amstutz, Sue A. Smail and Jonathan Hofstetter approved a resolution May 24 that authorizes Wayne County officials to enter into a grant agreement with the Ohio Development Services Agency for a Community Development Block Grant. The Ohio Development Services Agency and the Office of Community Development approved Wayne County's application to make available $360,000 in Development Allocation funds for five projects including $170,500 for sidewalk replacement in the village of Burbank; $70,500 for the Home Rehabilitation Section of the Wayne Metro Housing Authority; $54,000 for the Community Action Wayne Medina agency for public service and transportation services; $15,000 for a fair housing standard program, plus $50,000 toward administration. The grant begins in fiscal year 2023 and will run through fiscal year 2025.

Other recent actions

  • Commissioners Amstutz, Smail, and Hofstetter issued a proclamation May 24 recognizing May as National Mental Health Recovery Month, Multiple members of the Mental Health & Recovery Board of Wayne and Holmes Counties were in attendance.

  • Approved a resolution that authorizes the Wayne County Emergency Management Agency to dispose of inactive extra computers, keyboards and monitors through auction or sale, by disposal or transferring to another county department.

  • Approved a resolution authorizing a plan to purchase roofing materials for various county properties (including the Wayne County Administration Building) from the Garland Company of Cleveland in the amount of $67,203.20 for projects through June 30.

  • Approved multiple housekeeping items, including a weekly update on county bills and county home bills, a denotation of personnel changes, transfer of funds from multiple accounts and approving travel and training expenses for multiple conferences.

  • Approved a resolution May 31 authorizing for the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney in Wayne County to file an application to partner with the U.S. Department of Justice through the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services for a grant applicable in fiscal year 2024 in partnership with the STOP Violence Against Women Act. The county prosecuting attorney is pursuing funding of $59,000 with a local match of $14,750.

  • Approved a resolution authorizing Wayne County to enter into a partnership agreement with the City of Wooster and the City of Orrville for the purpose of applying for funding with the Community Housing Impact and Preservation (CHIP) Program. The grant program would begin in December and continue into 2026. Wooster will be eligible to receive $350,000 in funds, Orrville could receive $295,000 and Wayne County is eligible to receive $400,000 and will work with the Wayne Metropolitan Housing Authority.

  • Approved a resolution for a renewal of a grant for the Wayne County Sheriff for the VAWA Investigative Enhancement Program with grant funding totaling almost $39,000 and a local match commitment by the county sheriff for almost $13,000, for a grand total of $51,897.40, effective Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2024.

  • Approved a resolution authorizing the Wayne County Juvenile Court to file an application for the Consolidated Ohio Department of Youth Services Grant for program activities and expenditures in a subsidy amount of $166,938.

  • Approved a resolution authorizing an approval of an agreement between Otis Elevator Company and Wayne County for the maintenance and repair of county building elevators.

Next: The commissioners will meet again at 9 a.m. Wednesday at the Wayne County Administration Building Upper-Level Meeting Room. Register on the commissioners' website to view remotely.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Wayne County OH commissioners OK block grant agreement resolution