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Lorain County holds final CDBG hearing; staff recommends Meals on Wheels funding and multiple infrastructure requests to state
Summary
At a public hearing, county staff outlined a proposed $648,000 federal Community Development Block Grant allocation and recommended 15% funding for Meals on Wheels; staff also said the county would apply on behalf of North Ridgeville and Sheffield Lake for larger critical infrastructure grants.
Lorain County held its final public hearing on proposed Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) allocations on May 23, with staff recommending funding priorities and announcing intent to submit critical infrastructure applications on behalf of two municipalities.
Don Marmachuk, presenting county CDBG staff recommendations, said the county anticipates a $648,000 federal allocation. Marmachuk outlined requests received through outreach: the city of Oberlin sought $150,000 for a splash pad; Sheffield Lake requested $250,000 for sewer improvements and paving on East Drive; Neighborhood Alliance asked for $50,000 for a courtyard playground at the Haven Center; North Ridgeville sought $150,000 for a phase-1 waterline replacement affecting about 31 homes.
Marmachuk said the county’s recommended public-service set-aside would be Meals on Wheels at roughly $97,200 (the 15% cap for public services), noting the Meals on Wheels program reaches isolated residents in southern and township parts of the county. Marmachuk also said the county planned two separate critical-infrastructure grant applications: North Ridgeville for phases 2–3 (requesting $500,000) and Sheffield Lake for an additional $250,000 to pursue broader sewer/waterline/paving work; if awarded, the North Ridgeville award would enable consolidation of phases 1–3.
Neighborhood Alliance’s representative explained that the group is the sole Meals on Wheels provider in the county, serves multiple townships and municipalities, and uses climate-controlled vehicles and consistent drivers rather than ad-hoc volunteers; she said Meals on Wheels has delivered more than 1.4 million meals over a two-year period in applications presented to the county. Public commenter Brian Baker urged the commissioners to approve Neighborhood Alliance’s request, noting local food distribution work and federal prevailing-rate rules for construction contracting.
Outcome and next steps: The public hearing was closed by motion and recorded Aye votes; Marmachuk and staff said the board will consider a resolution to adopt allocations at a June 3 meeting. Marmachuk emphasized that the CDBG fund is limited and the county used local leverage to strengthen applications. No final allocation votes were recorded at the May 23 hearing; the transcript shows commissioners will vote on allocations on June 3.
Why it matters: The CDBG allocation and related critical-infrastructure grant applications could deliver hundreds of thousands of federal dollars to municipal water and sewer projects and to a Meals on Wheels program that county staff said serves isolated seniors in townships and small cities. Staff also flagged the importance of local matching funds and the county’s role in applying on behalf of municipalities.
Ending: Staff invited questions, offered technical clarifications on match sources and federal requirements, and closed the hearing; the allocation resolution is scheduled for the commission agenda June 3.
