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Communities are vying for grants that support efficiency improvements
By Rick Armon
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Tuesday, Jun 16, 2009
The Wadsworth Community Partnership wants to build a $104 million complex with a new high school, library, community recreation center, senior center, medical office and outdoor pool.
The Portage County Solid Waste Management District wants to expand its recycling program to schools and 14,100 more households.
The Rittman and Orrville school districts, which already share a superintendent, want to buy technology to allow them to share teachers.
Those are three of the 39 proposals that have made the latest cut in a competition for grants that fund projects that streamline government in Northeast Ohio.
The Fund for Our Economic Future, a philanthropic group
pushing for better collaboration and consolidated government, is handing out a total of $300,000 in grants this year as part of the contest.
The fund put out the call for proposals earlier this year from 16 counties in Northeast Ohio, saying it wanted ready-to-go, collaborative projects that have a deep economic impact.
''The number and the variety of the responses has been very encouraging,'' fund spokesman Chris Thompson said. ''It has affirmed our belief that more than ever, government leaders are eager to find ways to collaborate and deliver services differently.''
A committee will review the 39 proposals and announce the finalists July 1. Thompson said there could be as few as five or as many as 10 finalists.
The twist in the competition is that the public determines which three proposals will split the $300,000. The public will be able to vote online, by phone and mail for the top three proposals once the finalists are selected.
''We can't fund every project,'' Thompson said. ''What we're trying to do is increase awareness and encourage government collaboration.''
All proposals are available to read and comment on at http://www.efficientgovnow.org.
The public comments might sway the committee as it selects the finalists, Thompson said.
The proposals range from joint emergency dispatching to combining health districts to storm water projects in Ashland, Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit, Trumbull and Wayne counties.
At $104 million, the Wadsworth project — a joint effort by the Wadsworth Public Library, city of Wadsworth, Wadsworth schools and Summa Wadsworth-Rittman Hospital — is by far the most costly among the 39 proposals.
Library Director C. Allen Nichols said the effort is worthy of a grant because it meets the fund's criteria for cooperation among different entities and can be replicated by other communities. Wadsworth has been able to leverage money from the Ohio School Facilities Commission to address other community needs, such as a new senior center and recreation center, he said.
The grant money would be used to pay for consultant and legal fees, and to help set up a capital campaign, Nichols said.
''We're very excited. We think it's going to change the quality of life for years and decades to come in Wadsworth,'' he said.
In addition to the Wadsworth project, these proposals from the Akron area seek funding:
• The Portage County Solid Waste Management District wants to buy 12,000 curbside containers and 40 front-load containers to collect recyclable material in Rootstown Township, Ravenna Township, Randolph Township, Windham and all public school systems in the county. Cost: $242,080.
• The Orrville and Rittman school districts want to buy distance-learning equipment for Rittman. Then, students could take classes at either facility and both districts could expand their course offerings. They also want to buy a van to shuttle students between the schools for special education and alternative education programs. Cost: $82,445.
The two districts in Wayne County already are sharing some administrators and resources, and expect to save more than $1 million over five years, Superintendent Jon Ritchie said. Since the collaboration began last year, the school systems often are cited by good government groups and others as a positive example of government cooperation.
Even if the districts don't receive the grant, Ritchie said, they will continue to explore ways to consolidate while keeping the individual identities of the two school systems.
• The city of Norton and Norton school district want to build a $130,806 heavy-lift garage to service large vehicles, including salt trucks, fire trucks and school buses, for the city, schools, Barberton schools and other local entities.
• Copley Township and Norton, which began a joint emergency dispatching center this year, want to buy equipment and possibly expand to Bath Township and Richfield. Cost: $381,320.
• Cuyahoga Falls, Hudson and Stow are seeking financial help to create the Western Reserve Joint Economic Development Zone, a tax-sharing district along state Route 8, where the three communities meet. Cost: $110,000.
• The Summit County and Akron health departments want to merge databases to better share information and offer some joint services. The two entities also are exploring a full-blown consolidation. Cost: $952,000.
• Stark County wants to create a countywide dispatching center. Cost: $13 million.
• The Stark County Regional Planning Commission wants to collaborate with 13 cities, villages and townships to map the storm-water systems. Cost: $671,987.
• Jackson Local Schools and Jackson Township want to improve collaboration on park land, and create a Web-based calendar for school and township events. Cost: $300,000.
For details about the grant program, go to http://www.efficientgovnow.org, or call the fund at 216-925-4900. To learn more about the fund, go tohttp://www.futurefundneo.org.
Rick Armon can be reached at 330-996-3569 or rarmon@thebeaconjournal.com.
The Wadsworth Community Partnership wants to build a $104 million complex with a new high school, library, community recreation center, senior center, medical office and outdoor pool.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Akron, , OH
Posted 07:25 AM, 06/16/2009
This will be interesting !!!! Here's where it's takes creativity and no new taxes!!
