The Truro Township trustees are keeping their fingers crossed the state will look favorably on a grant request to fix streets in desperate need of repair throughout the township.
A public meeting was held on Sept. 6, prior to the regular trustees’ meeting, to discuss street improvements on Olivette, Renfro, Rodebaugh, Rhonda roads; Parkline, Quincy, Silverton, and Talbert drives, and Tuxworth Court.
Truro Road Superintendent Stan Knoderer said he dumped approximately 18 tons of cold patch on potholes and roads in the Qualstan development to help shore up deteriorating surfaces.
"It’s like trying to put a band aid on a major wound," Knoderer said. "It (resurfacing) is desperately needed now and will be more critical in years to come if it (grant) was turned down."
The resurfacing project is estimated at a total cost of $335,934 with Truro Township contributing at least 10 percent. If approved, the Ohio Public Works Commission (OPWC) would cover the remaining 90 percent. However, competition can be stiff between municipalities vying for state funds.
In 2003, the township received a 90/10 matching grant for $188,151 to resurface Norcrest Drive and Whitlow Road. It was the last time the township received OPWC funding for a capital improvement roadway project.
"We’ve been trying for years to earn a grant for all of Truro Township roads," said Truro Administrator Bob Stapleton. "The application is ready. It’s been five years since we had a grant request. We’re long overdue. We feel we’ve done all we can do. We put together a good bid and we’re keeping our fingers crossed."
Trustee Dennis Nicodemus asked engineer Matt Ferris, whose firm, E.P. Ferris and Associates, Inc. prepared the five-year CIP report, why the township has not been awarded a single grant in the last five years.
Ferris said scoring for projects is awarded on a point basis with various aspects given more value, such as the percentage of local contribution, public input, and meetings.
"The local match is a big point grabber," Ferris told the trustees. "You are in competition with other township, city, and county projects. The scores are based on the projects themselves. We do Madison Township as well and they’ve had about the same success rate. "Public support is hopefully what will get you turned around this year."
Nicodemus said the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission pointed out there were errors in the draft report created by the engineering firm and demanded to know why figures were in the wrong places.
"Anything they had to research, they start deducting points and I’d hate to lose out on money because of a number being out of place," said Nicodemus. "I’m working on trying to fix roads and they’re terrible and I go into a meeting and they point out where numbers are in the wrong place. When they start pointing out things like that, it gets my attention. If we’re going to do a draft, I’d expect the draft to be a little closer, a little more thought out. I’m very serious about these points."
