State approves local capital project funds

VW independent/submitted information

COLUMBUS — State Representative Craig S. Riedel (R-Defiance) and State Senator Rob McColley (R-Napoleon) announced passage of Senate Bill 310, which includes funding for a variety of initiatives across the state, as well as $2.2 million in aid for local projects.

Local projects in Van Wert, Paulding, Defiance, and Auglaize counties funded in the bill include:

Van Wert County

• Hiestand Woods Improvement, $75,000
• Van Wert Reservoir trails, $75,000
• Smiley Park ballfield fencing, $25,000
• Willshire Ballpark enhancements, $25,000
• Niswonger Performing Arts Center, $200,000
• Convoy Opera House facility renovation, $75,000

Paulding County

• Lela McGuire Jeffrey Park soccer, $75,000
• Oakwood Community Park, $22,610
• Payne Buckeye Park, $20,500 
• Antwerp Riverside Park Fitness Trail, $7,500
• Melrose Park renovation, $7,000
• Grover Hill Welcome Park Playground, $5,598
• Broughton Park Playground, $4,124
• Paulding County Community-based Assessment Center, $40,000

Defiance County   

• Cooper Lodge, Camp Lakota, $250,000
• Bronson Park Multi-use Path, $150,000
• Camp Libbey, $100,000
• Auglaize Village Handi-capable Heritage Trail, $20,000
• Defiance Community Auditorium renovation project, $150,000
• Hicksville Huber Opera House, $15,000

Auglaize County

• Auglaize Mercer Recreation Complex, $750,000
• Wapakoneta Veterans Memorial Park Splash Pad, $75,000
• New Bremen STEM Waterway, $25,000
• New Bremen StoryWalk, $7,500
• Stained glass window restoration for the Wapakoneta Museum, $22,000

“These quality-of-life projects will make our region a better place to live by improving infrastructure, expanding employment opportunities, and promoting economic development,” said Rep. Riedel. 

“It is important we work to get taxpayer money from Columbus back home to our local communities,” said McColley. “I’m happy to see this money doing just that to help out our local governments in making these improvements.” 

Statewide, the bill includes more than $2 billion in new capital appropriations for a wide variety of infrastructure across Ohio. Statewide highlights include: 

• $452 million for the Department of Higher Education, which includes funding for traditional and regional campuses and community colleges.
• $300 million for K-12 school building construction and improvements. 
• $10 million for safety grants for K-12 schools and Ohio’s colleges and universities.
• $280 million for the Ohio Public Works Commission, which supports a variety of infrastructure initiatives, including local water, sewer and road projects.
• $62.5 million for the Clean Ohio Program.
• $50 million for county jail projects. 

Funding will be allocated through a competitive, needs-based process.