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Commission approves small community grants, agrees to cover half of septic repair for four-home co-op
Summary
Harrison County commissioners approved four community funding requests on Sept. 17, awarding $2,500 to Expressions of Love, $1,500 to Nutter Fort, $1,624 to Lost Creek and agreeing to pay half of a $6,680 septic replacement request for the West Fork on-site co-op.
Harrison County Commission on Sept. 17 approved several small community funding requests, including a $2,500 award to a local nonprofit, $1,500 to a town Halloween festival, $1,624 for Christmas lights in a small town and a partial contribution toward a septic tank replacement for a four-home cooperative.
The funding decisions came during the commission's routine business session. The commission approved a $2,500 special funding request for Expressions of Love, a faith-driven local nonprofit that supplies food pantries, backpacks and hygiene supplies. Judy Bonamico, founder and president of Expressions of Love, told commissioners, “Every dollar donated goes directly into this community.” The motion to approve the $2,500 carried with no recorded opposition.
The commission also approved $1,500 to the town of Nutter Fort to support a one-day community Halloween/fall festival and $1,624 to the town of Lost Creek to purchase pole-mounted Christmas-light displays for the 2026 season. Charlene Lauck, a Nutter Fort council member, described the event plan and schedule; Jody Oliverio, a Lost Creek councilperson, described the town’s fundraising progress and the vendor pricing that yields one free display for every two purchased.
A more contested funding request came from the West Fork On-site Community Co-op, which sought $6,680 to replace a septic tank and repair a pump for a demonstration cluster system that currently serves four homes. Paul Hamrick, secretary-treasurer of the co-op, said the cooperative’s account held “approximately $500” and described the system’s history as part of a 2008 demonstration project that now serves four remaining homes.
The commission initially moved to approve the full $6,680 request but then approved an amendment to fund half the cost from county funds. Commissioners instructed the co-op to coordinate details with county staff before payment. Paul Hamrick said the co-op charges a $15 user fee per household and has not requested county assistance since 2008.
Votes on each funding request were recorded as approved with no opposed votes announced on the record. Commissioners said the county will coordinate logistics and payment coding with county administration.
Ending: County staff will work with each recipient on disbursement details; the West Fork co-op was told to follow up with county administration to finalize the county’s half-payment arrangement.
