Geneva council authorizes grant applications and borrowing for streets, stormwater and equipment

Geneva City Council on June 9 authorized city officials to pursue multiple funding and financing steps for infrastructure and equipment projects, including a state grant application for West Main Street, a low-interest loan application for a sewer jet/vacuum vehicle, and emergency bond adoption to finance a fire truck.

City Manager Joseph Marquette said the city will seek authorization to submit a $2,000,000 application to the Ohio Department of Transportation Small Cities Program for phase 2 of the West Main Street reconstruction project; he said the estimated cost of phase 2 is about $3,700,000. "Our effort right now is to definitely try to re-grant money in so they can reduce any loans that would need to be taken to get that project off the ground," Marquette said.

Council also moved forward with a request to apply to the Ohio Water Development Authority (OWDA) for a loan to purchase a 2025 Super Products Campbell 1,200 EJ sewer jet/vac truck, with a submitted amount of $589,207.21. Marquette said staff had secured multiple quotes and that OWDA offered the best financing option.

An ordinance providing for the issuance and sale of bonds in a maximum principal amount of $675,000 was introduced and passed by emergency vote; the ordinance will fund the remaining costs of a replacement fire truck. Council discussed the original purchase structure and past financing of fire apparatus and agreed the equipment was critical to public safety.

Separately, Marquette updated council that the city had been recommended for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) award near $153,000 for a Depot Street stormwater improvement project; the project’s total estimated cost was $228,800 and award amounts and final obligations will depend on bidding. The city also reported applications and pre-applications for other waterline and street projects including OPWC and OVWC submissions for waterline replacement, and an HTAP award of $66,000 toward a comprehensive plan update (total project estimated at about $75,000).

Several resolutions and an ordinance related to these items were acted on by roll-call vote during the meeting. Council voted to authorize the West Main Small Cities application, the OWDA loan application for the sewer truck, the NAD dispatch agreement extension, the CHIP partnership with Ashtabula County, the HTAP agreement and the contract for a comprehensive plan update; the bond ordinance for the fire truck was also passed under emergency provision.