Hocking County commissioners approve CDBG application documents for Logan and Laurelville projects

Hocking County commissioners on June 5 approved and signed three documents required for the county's 2025 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application to the Ohio Department of Development, county staff said. The paperwork includes the residential anti-displacement and relocation assistance plan, the required authorizing resolution/letterhead, and the environmental review certificate.

County staff told commissioners this is public hearing No. 2 for the CDBG cycle and said the county is eligible for the annual small cities allocation of $150,000. The staff presentation listed two projects the county plans to include in its application: a Neighborhood Revitalization Grant (NRG) for the City of Logan and a Critical Infrastructure Grant for the Village of Laurelville. The county also said it intends to apply for up to $750,000 through the Neighborhood Revitalization Grant program and up to $500,000 through the Critical Infrastructure Grant program.

Under the materials presented, the City of Logan NRG project had an estimated total cost of $787,600. That total included $700,000 for construction, $50,000 for administration, and an allocation match of $37,600. The Village of Laurelville critical infrastructure project was presented with an estimated total cost of $582,405: $470,000 for construction, $30,000 for administration and an $82,400 allocation match. Staff described the Laurelville work as flood-and-drainage improvements in the downtown area, including about 16 catch basins and roughly 1,000 feet of piping; the Logan work may include sidewalk and paving work on Third Street, final lengths to be determined when cost estimates are complete.

Commissioners voted to approve and sign the three application documents so the county may submit its application materials when the state opens the application window. Staff noted the anti-displacement plan would be used only if a project caused a displacement and that, for the proposed sidewalk/paving and drainage work, no residential displacement was expected.

The presentation also noted that one of the project scopes (Church Street in Logan) had been submitted to other grant funders and may be funded from those sources instead of through the CDBG application. Staff said final project scopes and lengths of work will depend on returned cost estimates and program eligibility.

The signed documents now will be filed with the state as part of the county's application packet; staff said three supporting documents may be signed later in general business and mailed to the state if commissioners preferred.

Contacts and next steps listed in the presentation included continued cost estimating with design partners and the state's application deadline; staff said they will return to the board with final project scope once estimates are complete.