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North Canton wins $3 million Amler grant to map and remediate historic mine hazards
Summary
City officials said the Amler grant — the largest award in the state for this program — will fund identification and remediation of mine voids on the Capia property and nearby parcels; council created a special revenue fund and approved initial appropriations and a temporary advance from the general fund.
City officials announced that North Canton has been awarded a $3 million Amler grant to identify and remediate historic mine features on the Capia property behind Discount Drug Mart and nearby parcels.
At the Jan. 28 city council meeting, staff described two parts of the grant: an identification phase to map the location of mines and a remediation phase that would fill voids and make land safe for reuse. Finance staff said the grant is reimbursable: the city will create a special revenue fund, advance money from the general fund to cover project costs up front, then submit expenses for reimbursement. Anything not spent in 2026 will be reappropriated for future years.
"It's a refundable grant," Finance staff member Jim Berdovich said, describing the mechanics: the city "fund[s] it, and then we get reimbursed." Berdovich also said the council will need to appropriate and later re-appropriate any unspent amounts and that the city will return any unused advances to the general fund.
City staff said the grant award includes funds that will be budgeted into a new special revenue fund titled the Amler Grant Fund. Council also approved a $60,000 sponsorship appropriation tied to community events connected with America 250, a $1,000 notepad grant for community events and a $1,000 in-kind or vehicle donation the police department had received; staff emphasized council approval is required before spending donated or grant funds.
During discussion, members praised the award and its potential local impact. A city official said the Amler grant was the largest award in the state for this program and called the result "a great accomplishment by everybody on the team." The official also noted that mapping and remediation will likely take months to years and that some remediation work may be tied to future development.
Council read ordinance 042026 to establish the Amler Grant Fund and authorize appropriations for Jan. 1–Dec. 31, 2026, and then voted to suspend the three-reading rule and adopt the ordinance under suspension.
What happens next: staff said they will set up the special revenue fund, advance funds as needed, track reimbursements from the grant, and return any unused advances to the general fund. Council and staff emphasized they will report updates to council as the project proceeds.
