County to pursue Extension, Soil and Water grant opportunity
Lead Summary
By
Rory Ryan-hcpress@cinci.rr.com
Don Branson, executive director of the Southern Ohio Agricultural andCommunity Development Foundation proposed a new $25,000 grant opportunity to Highland County Commissioners Shane Wilkin, Tom Horst and Jeremy Shaffer at the board’s Feb. 2 meeting.
The meeting, which was delayed by approximately 30 minutes due to a Wednesday morning power outage, provided a chance for Branson and Chris Grooms, also from the SOACDF, to explain a new funding source for each of the nine counties served by the SOACDF. A total of $225,000 in grant money – $25,000 per county – could be available to each southern Ohio county through the Ohio State University Extension and Soil and Water Funding Project, Branson said.
After presenting an annual report from the foundation to the board of commissioners, Branson explained that the foundation “has invested a little over $8 million in Highland County, not counting leveraging additional funding in the county.”
“Our purpose today is to make you aware of a grant opportunity with our board,” Branson said.
“Our board has approved an offer of $25,000 to Adams, Brown, Clermont, Highland, Jackson, Lawrence, Scioto, Pike and Gallia counties, which is available to county commissioners to help bolster Extension and Soil and Water services.”
Branson went on to explain that the $25,000, one-year grant for each county was a one-time grant, “but there’s one caveat. It can’t replace your commitment to Extension or Soil and Water.”
The grant is intended to support agribusiness and agricultural education and has an application deadline of May 1, Branson said.
“We will get that filled out right away and get it back to you,” Horst told Branson.
“We appreciate this commission and how it has stood up for agriculture,” Branson said.
* * *
Salem Township
zoning inspector discussed
• Commissioners then met with Tim Boler of the Salem Township Zoning Committee, which had submitted a letter seeking the termination of Larry Barr as zoning inspector.
The letter read as follows: “The Salem Township zoning committee met on Jan. 27, 2011 to discuss the performance of duties of the township zoning inspector, Larry Barr. The committee has heard several complaints about the lack of collecting permit monies and the lack of enforcing zoning violations. It is our recommendation that Larry Barr be terminated from his position as zoning inspector at the commissioners’ earliest convenience.”
The letter was signed by Tim Stegbauer, John T. Boler and Neil Van Saun.
“He (Boler) wants to let Larry Barr go,” Horst said.
“If that’s the board’s wishes, we probably need to meet with the prosecutor (Jim Grandey) and follow up with a letter to the zoning board,” Wilkin said.
“There are concerns over paperwork, communication and other issues,” Boler said.
Horst said if a new inspector were to be hired, the position would be advertised.
When contacted by The Highland County Press, Larry Barr said, “This is the first that I was aware of any problems.”
Barr said he had not seen a copy of the zoning committee’s letter prior to its submission to the commissioners, nor had any of the public officials contacted him regarding the matter.
* * *
• In other business, Horst told the board that the county “needs to put together an emergency contact list.” The issue came about following this week’s power outages around the county.
* * *
• Commissioners proclaimed Catholic Schools Week on behalf of St. Mary Catholic School in Hillsboro.
* * *
• The county received two bids for crop land leasing at the Leesburg Industrial Park. The first opened bid was from Phillip Baldwin for $13, 125 for 64 acres. A second bid of $11,000 was submitted by David Garen.
* * *
• Commissioners also sent the following letter to Julia Wise, executive director of Highland County Community Action Organization:
Dear Julia,
The Highland County Commissioners desire to apply for funding under the FY 2011 Community Housing Improvement Program. The Highland County Commissioners desire to cooperate with a non-profit organization in preparing a grant application for submission of the application to Ohio Housing & Community Partnership (OHCP) due April 1, 2011.
Determination of housing or other activities will be made collectively once the nonprofit organization is determined.
The nonprofit organization must have experience in preparing grant applications for housing as well as administering housing development/improvement programs.
The Administering Agent must have knowledge of Residential Rehabilitation Standards as well as HOME and CDBG regulations.
In evaluating applications, nonprofits will be evaluated on their past experience in administering CHIP/CDBG funds other housing and supportive activities, be in good standing with the Ohio Secretary of States office as a nonprofit corporation, have the financial capacity and stability, along with the experience and expertise as well as adequate staffing to administer said programs. If you are interested, please send us your qualifications.[[In-content Ad]]
The meeting, which was delayed by approximately 30 minutes due to a Wednesday morning power outage, provided a chance for Branson and Chris Grooms, also from the SOACDF, to explain a new funding source for each of the nine counties served by the SOACDF. A total of $225,000 in grant money – $25,000 per county – could be available to each southern Ohio county through the Ohio State University Extension and Soil and Water Funding Project, Branson said.
After presenting an annual report from the foundation to the board of commissioners, Branson explained that the foundation “has invested a little over $8 million in Highland County, not counting leveraging additional funding in the county.”
“Our purpose today is to make you aware of a grant opportunity with our board,” Branson said.
“Our board has approved an offer of $25,000 to Adams, Brown, Clermont, Highland, Jackson, Lawrence, Scioto, Pike and Gallia counties, which is available to county commissioners to help bolster Extension and Soil and Water services.”
Branson went on to explain that the $25,000, one-year grant for each county was a one-time grant, “but there’s one caveat. It can’t replace your commitment to Extension or Soil and Water.”
The grant is intended to support agribusiness and agricultural education and has an application deadline of May 1, Branson said.
“We will get that filled out right away and get it back to you,” Horst told Branson.
“We appreciate this commission and how it has stood up for agriculture,” Branson said.
* * *
Salem Township
zoning inspector discussed
• Commissioners then met with Tim Boler of the Salem Township Zoning Committee, which had submitted a letter seeking the termination of Larry Barr as zoning inspector.
The letter read as follows: “The Salem Township zoning committee met on Jan. 27, 2011 to discuss the performance of duties of the township zoning inspector, Larry Barr. The committee has heard several complaints about the lack of collecting permit monies and the lack of enforcing zoning violations. It is our recommendation that Larry Barr be terminated from his position as zoning inspector at the commissioners’ earliest convenience.”
The letter was signed by Tim Stegbauer, John T. Boler and Neil Van Saun.
“He (Boler) wants to let Larry Barr go,” Horst said.
“If that’s the board’s wishes, we probably need to meet with the prosecutor (Jim Grandey) and follow up with a letter to the zoning board,” Wilkin said.
“There are concerns over paperwork, communication and other issues,” Boler said.
Horst said if a new inspector were to be hired, the position would be advertised.
When contacted by The Highland County Press, Larry Barr said, “This is the first that I was aware of any problems.”
Barr said he had not seen a copy of the zoning committee’s letter prior to its submission to the commissioners, nor had any of the public officials contacted him regarding the matter.
* * *
• In other business, Horst told the board that the county “needs to put together an emergency contact list.” The issue came about following this week’s power outages around the county.
* * *
• Commissioners proclaimed Catholic Schools Week on behalf of St. Mary Catholic School in Hillsboro.
* * *
• The county received two bids for crop land leasing at the Leesburg Industrial Park. The first opened bid was from Phillip Baldwin for $13, 125 for 64 acres. A second bid of $11,000 was submitted by David Garen.
* * *
• Commissioners also sent the following letter to Julia Wise, executive director of Highland County Community Action Organization:
Dear Julia,
The Highland County Commissioners desire to apply for funding under the FY 2011 Community Housing Improvement Program. The Highland County Commissioners desire to cooperate with a non-profit organization in preparing a grant application for submission of the application to Ohio Housing & Community Partnership (OHCP) due April 1, 2011.
Determination of housing or other activities will be made collectively once the nonprofit organization is determined.
The nonprofit organization must have experience in preparing grant applications for housing as well as administering housing development/improvement programs.
The Administering Agent must have knowledge of Residential Rehabilitation Standards as well as HOME and CDBG regulations.
In evaluating applications, nonprofits will be evaluated on their past experience in administering CHIP/CDBG funds other housing and supportive activities, be in good standing with the Ohio Secretary of States office as a nonprofit corporation, have the financial capacity and stability, along with the experience and expertise as well as adequate staffing to administer said programs. If you are interested, please send us your qualifications.[[In-content Ad]]