At a recent Fayette County Commissioners’ meeting, official decisions were made regarding the Fayette County Community Action Commission (CAC) and the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.
A resolution was passed authorizing CAC to be the program administrator for both the CDBG program and the Community Housing Impact and Preservation (CHIP) program funds. An agreement was then entered into with CAC for the administration of the CDBG and CHIP program.
These actions were taken, according to minutes from the meeting, as the commissioners deemed it necessary to have an administrator to handle required actions for the programs — including filing various applications and documents related to the receival and spending of the funds, and then reporting the use of those funds.
As previously reported, the CDBG program can fund a broad range of activities. The various programs are designed to accomplish outlined goals in the Community’s Comprehensive Plan and the Community Development Implementation Strategy. The activities must be designed to meet national objectives.
The funds must primarily benefit low-to-moderate income (LMI) people and families, to improve LMI neighborhoods, aid in the elimination of slums and blights, relief of emergencies and help special clientele such as people with developmental disabilities, the elderly, battered women, female heads of households, etc. The goal is to improve and develop safe and sanitary housing and improve our neighborhoods in eligible communities primarily for LMI households.
Fayette County is eligible to apply for approximately $150,000 and the following programs: Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP) CDBG, Home and Housing Trust funds, and Formula Allocation Program, HOME Investment Partnerships Program, Emergency Shelter Grant Program, Water and Sanitary Sewer Program, Economic Development Program, Discretionary Funds, Micro-enterprise Business Development Program, Imminent Threat SetAside Fund, Critical Infrastructure Program up to $300,000, Neighborhood Revitalization up to $300,000, Downtown Revitalization Competitive Program up to $300,000, and numerous other programs that may be announced under the CDBG Program.
An initial strategy meeting pertaining to the CDBG program was held by the county in mid-April to discuss possibilities and needs. A second public hearing was conducted in mid-June to further discuss options. Following that meeting, the following was reported:
The county is eligible for $150,000 of the Allocation Grant funding, as long as the county meets program requirements. Based on both citizens’ input and local officials’ assessments of the county’s needs, the county is proposing to undertake the following CDBG activities for 2021 and 2022:
—Village of Bloomingburg Shelter House Project: $40,200, leverage amount $2,500, total project cost $42,700
—Village of Jeffersonville Waterline Project: $69,300, leverage amount $17,332, total project cost $86,632
—City of Washington Walking Trail Project: $28,300, leverage amount $10,000, total project cost $38,300
—Fair Housing and Administration: $12,200 with a Fair Housing outreach program to be implemented during the grant period.
In August, CAC was given approval from the county commissioners to apply for CDBG funds to go toward the “Peace House” program. The intended purpose for the grant was to make improvements to the Peace House. CAC’s Peace House program is a multi-service program for victims of domestic violence that was first placed into operation in early March of last year.
Essentially, and as previously reported, Peace House is a one-stop shop providing emergency housing, homeless prevention, care coordination, safety planning, crisis intervention, etc., to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking.
Victims may contact the crisis line at 740-505-0090. For more information on domestic violence services in the community, download the Fayette County Sheriff’s App. For a full list of Peace House services, please visit www.cacfayettecounty.org/peacehousedv/.
In other news from the commissioners’ office, the relocation of an electric facility was authorized for AES Ohio. That facility is located at 2770 State Route 38 (the county farm). The work to be done, according to minutes from the meeting, includes: removing poles, spans of overhead primary cable and transformer and installing one pole, overhead primary cable, riser, primary underground cable and pad mount transformer. The cost of the project will be $31,863.53 payable to AES Ohio.
Two agreements were entered into.
The first agreement was with Cummins, Inc. out of Hilliard for a one-year planned equipment maintenance agreement for servicing the Generac generators at the Administration Building and Board of Elections building. The first month of service will be November. The total cost for the year will be $2,626.52.
The second agreement was with the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging of the City of Columbus, Recreation and Parks Department for Low-Income Subsidy Pay-For-Performance funds. The provider will be the Fayette County Commission on Aging with the total cost being $3,000. The contract runs from Sept. 30 through Aug. 31 of next year.
Stay with the Record-Herald weekly for more updates from the Fayette County Commissioners. The Fayette County Commissioners’ Office is located at 133 S. Main St., suite 401 in Washington Court House, and their office hours are Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. They can be reached at 740-335-0720. Condensed minutes from the meetings are available on the county website.
Reach journalist Jennifer Woods at 740-313-0355.
