Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
USDA Rural Development visits Clermont County to describe loans, grants for water, facilities, broadband and small business
Summary
USDA Rural Development state director and community-programs loan specialist briefed the Clermont County commissioners on programs that can fund water and sewer, community facilities, broadband, electric, distance learning/telemedicine, and business development, and invited county officials to apply for assistance.
Charles Tassell, the USDA Rural Development state director for Ohio, and Kathy Harmon, community programs loan specialist, briefed the Board of Clermont County Commissioners Aug. 6 on USDA Rural Development programs that provide loans, grants and loan guarantees for rural communities.
Tassell said the agency focuses on three primary areas: housing, community facilities and business and industry. “We are ready to and appreciate the opportunity,” he told the commissioners, describing an “open door” approach to help small towns access federal funding.
Harmon detailed program eligibility and examples. She said water and wastewater loans and grants are available for public bodies or nonprofits serving communities with populations of 10,000 or fewer; interest rates vary quarterly and some borrowers can qualify for lower rates based on median household income. “Another program that we offer is community facilities — we could build a hospital, a fire department or a police station,” Harmon said, adding USDA can provide long terms (up to 40 years for some water projects) and offers direct loans, grant/loan combinations and loan guarantees. Harmon cited recent Ohio projects supported by USDA: a multi-phase Athens County sewer project, a $60.5 million new water treatment plant in Belmont County, a $15.5 million jail project and local fire stations and library expansions.
Harmon also described rural broadband efforts, electric programs and distance-learning/telemedicine grants that link rural areas with larger health and educational providers. She encouraged county and municipal staff to contact the Hillsborough USDA office for technical assistance through application, environmental review, and construction.
No formal action was taken; officials thanked the USDA representatives and noted county economic-development staff can assist local applicants.
Speakers provided business cards and said staff would be available after the meeting for project-specific follow-up.
