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City pursues grants, water-tower bid set and streetscape work; facade program faces procurement questions
Summary
City Manager Kevin Varquette reported OPWC funding recommended for a State Route 84 water-line replacement, a county-city water tower out for bid Oct. 3, Appalachian streetscape phase work beginning, and continuing procurement issues in a storefront-facade grant program.
City Manager Kevin Varquette told council Sept. 22 that several capital and grant-funded projects are moving forward, including a recommended Ohio Public Works Commission (OPWC) award for a State Route 84 water-line replacement, an out-for-bid county-city water tower project and imminent construction on an Appalachian Regional Commission streetscape grant project.
Varquette said the OPWC recommendation covers a 2026 project to replace water lines on State Route 84 from Route 534 to the 300 block of Route 84; the project’s estimated construction cost is roughly $420,000 of a $500,000 total project and will include approximately $203,000 in committed local revenue.
He said bids for a city-county water tower would be due Oct. 3; pre-bid estimates have risen since earlier projections and the latest pre-bid opinion of probable construction cost was about $3.9 million, with the city’s share estimated at roughly 35% (about $520,000–$570,000 depending on final figures and additional county grant reallocations). Varquette said the county was pursuing additional funds that could reduce the city’s share.
Varquette also described Phase 1 of an Appalachian Community Grant streetscape project that includes improvements at Rotary Pavilion, parking behind the community center and a pocket park; some planting and streetscape work will occur next spring. He said a storefront-facade portion of the grant (roughly $540,000 allocated to property improvements) has encountered state procurement constraints and staff are working with Eastgate and state officials to revise the procurement process so property owners can participate in the work.
Varquette said the city had also submitted a U.S. Department of Transportation application for a 100%-funded multi-use path engineering/design grant (roughly $265,000) to tie into previous corridor planning and regional multimodal initiatives.
Ending: Varquette asked for patience on procurement technicalities and said staff will provide updates as bids and grant awards are finalized.
