Mayor Larry McDaniel and the Coal Grove Village Council received a pleasant surprise last week, but there is just one catch - the village must come up with $45,800.

Last week, Doug Cade, manager of E.L Robinson's Ironton office, informed the council that the village is eligible for a $183,200 grant through the Appalachian Regional Commission to renovate its sewer treatment plant. The village had applied in July but did not think it was high enough on the funding list.

"The village was on the bubble," Cade said. "The ARC called and said there was enough money left over, but they needed to know if the village was still interested."

However, the village must provide $45,800 for the 20 percent match on the $229,000 project that would replace several pumps that remove sludge from the trucks, the chemical feeding system and improve the sludge drying system.

"This would help us make needed improvements. We have two pumps right now that are inoperable," McDaniel said. "Plus, if we get covers on the drying beds, it will allow us to dry sludge quicker so that we can get it to the landfill."

McDaniel met with Cade and CAO representatives Thursday to look at options.

Cade said he believes that the village will be able to find the money before the July 1 deadline to submit a full application. If an application is submitted, the village will probably not know if it receives the grant until this fall.

"We feel confident that we can find them the funding for the local match, although we do still have some investigating to do," Cade said.

It was hoped that the village could receive the match from the Ohio Public Works Common but Coal Grove was turned down. Another option that will be examined is the Community Development Block Grant program that provides funding for infrastructure type projects such as this, Cade said.

Mayor McDaniel also remains optimistic that the village will find a way to come up with the funds.

"If we can get this money, it will help us tremendously," he said. "If worse comes to worse, we can borrow the money. I would hate to lose this grant."