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Portage nears $10 million in stimulus funds: Money paying for projects in area, more may come

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By Mike Sever

Record-Courier staff writer

Portage County is benefiting from the federal economic stimulus package. Federal stimulus dollars flowing into Portage County are near the $10 million mark, and more may be coming.

A total of $9,276,000 has been allocated for a number of projects at local, county and agency levels. Most of it is earmarked for “shovel ready” bridge and road projects that already were in the works but lacked sufficient funds. Requests totaling nearly another $3.5 million are still in the pipeline, officials said.

Money allocated so far includes:

• $3 million for replacement of the Crain Avenue bridge in Kent

• $1.3 million for summer jobs through the Portage County Department of Jobs & Family Services

• $1.3 million to the Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority for a new roof on the bus garage, planning for a new maintenance garage, and money for new buses

• $1.124 million for the Brady Lake Road bridge replacement in Franklin Township

• $1 million for widening of S.R. 43 in Aurora

• $647,564 for housing improvements for the Portage Metropolitan Housing Authority

• $616,000 for repaving Prospect Street in Ravenna;

• $148,016 for improvements on S.R. 305 in Hiram, from S.R. 700 to the east village line

• $81,024 for a Community Development Block Grant for Kent

• $60,000 to rebuild the intersection of Cleveland Avenue and Mogadore Road in Mogadore

Federal money also went to increase the maximum food assistance allotment to Job & Family Services clients.

Now that the funds have been allocated, officials have to meet the deadlines to get work started, particularly on the roads and bridges. Stimulus funds came with tight schedules. If funds can not be committed and then spent within the guidelines, the money will go back.

Also, there is concern that the spending will achieve the goal of creating jobs in Portage County.

Local and county officials are hopeful to get more funding. Pending requests include $1 million for a stream restoration project on Plum Creek in Kent and $95,000 to build a Sunny Lake sanitary sewer project in Aurora.

Portage County Water Resources Department is seeking $120,000 for wastewater treatment plant improvements at the West Branch Mobile Home Park and $288,000 for a garage and maintenance center.

The Portage County Solid Waste management District is seeking $700,000 for a material storage warehouse.

The county has applied for money to fund three Sheriff’s Department officers for courtroom duty, and to buy 10 vehicles for the department.

And the county Emergency Management Agency is seeking $955,000 for an equipment storage/county motor pool building.