Ironton Mayor John Elam may have found ways to fix several holes in city streets and prevent bullet holes in city police officers without creating a hole in the city's budget.

Drawing on his background in grant writing, Elam has written two grant applications that, if awarded, would provide $159,791 to fix three large holes in city streets and provide $5,000 towards Kevlar body armor for the Ironton Police Department.

The mayor learned of state emergency funding available for infrastructure collapses at an Ohio Public Works Commission meeting in Piketon last week. Collapse is a good way to describe the massive hole on Railroad Street that the city has already spent $25,628 working on and is still not done. At least two more major holes — one on the corner of Seventh and Railroad streets and another in Court Alley beside Iron City Hardware -desperately need fixed, Elam said.

All together, the street and sewer repairs are projected to cost $177,546. The state would pay 90 percent of the bill, but this also includes an extra that the city will not be able to purchase if the grant isn't approved.

The city would like to purchase a sewer camera for $65,400. It would allow the city employees to find water or sewer leaks with pinpoint accuracy, Elam said.

"It would be a real big benefit to us," said John McCabe, public services coordinator.

Though the mayor said he was told that the total project seemed "very fundable," Elam emphasized that it has not been approved and no one should get their hopes up.

Elam said he hopes to hear something back from OPWC officials as soon as next week.

Regardless, something will be done soon even if the city has to take out a loan to fix the problems, he said.

"If we don't get funded this is a $110,000 hole," he said. "We will have to come up $80,000."

"We have to get this thing fixed. Period."

If the city suffered another such emergency, it could still apply for emergency funds, he said.

Also, Elam was told that the community group the "Friends of Ironton" was going to make a donation to the police department to purchase 14 bullet proof vests. After doing some searching, Elam found a grant through the U.S. Department of Justice that will split the cost.The mayor prepared an application seeking $5,000. The community donation of $5,000 will be used as the needed matching funds.

The grant awards will be announced April 1.