Village has gotten $2.1M over the past eight months

SOUTH POINT —  Over the past four years, the Village of South Point has sought and received a number of state and federal funds for improvement projects and Mayor Jeff Gaskin gave a rundown of how those funds are being put to use.

Gaskin said, in the past eight months, the village has received $2.1 million in funds, while the total is $3.65 million for the past four years.

These include:

• A $250,000 grant from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency for Phase 2 of the village’s water line replacement project, which has been completed. Gaskin said these

funds go toward the $1.2 million overall cost of the project.

• A $700,000 fully-funded grant from the Ohio EPA for a new water well. Gaskin said the EPA ordered one of the village’s wells, a four-inch one, to be shut down, and the agency is paying the cost to build a new 8-inch well. Federal funds are included in this award, Gaskin said.

• $900,000 from the Ohio Department of Transportation and the KYOVA Interstate Planning Commission to build sidewalks, the first for the village. Gaskin said construction for these is expected to start in summer 2024.

• A $500,000 grant and a $300,000 no interest loan from the Ohio Public Works Commission for a drainage and slippage project on Tiffany Lane. The street has long had issues with erosion and work is currently underway to rebuild the roadway and its foundation. Gaskin said this work is expected to be finished by fall. The village is contributing $150,000 from its street fund for this project, he said.

• A $656,000 grant from the Ohio EPA and a $250,000 matching fund for upgrades to a lift station for the sewer plant. Gaskin said the Sand Road lift station has been overloaded and the new lift station will ease that burden.

• A $200,000 award, allotted by the Ohio General Assembly, for improvements to the village community center, which have been completed.

• $150,000 in safety funds from the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation, which Gaskin said the village has spent on things such as bulletproof vests for police officers and automated external defibrillator units.

• $50,000 from the Ohio EPA toward a $100,000 booster station project for the water department, which Gaskin said will allow them to transfer water between tanks when there is no power.

• $200,000 from the state fire marshal’s office, a safety grant, which has been used for things, such as buying air packs and Multi-Agency Radio Communication Systems for the village fire department.

Gaskin said the village is always seeking funds for projects, when they become available.

“We have a good team who work hard to go after money, he said. “

He said the village has been working with over river communities in the county in seeking funds for the Appalachian Community Grants, an investment package announced by Gov. Mike DeWine last year.

Gaskin points out that the state wants “communities to work together” for those funds, designated for Ohio’s Appalachian counties, and he said South Point’s portion of the project is seeking funds for improvements to its boat ramp.

“We want a total rebuild of our riverfront,” he said of their proposal, which he hoped would allow large riverboats to dock at the village.

He said the village has been awarded funds for the planning portion of that funding, the first phase of the project and is currently working on its proposal.

He said the village is also seeking funds from the Appalachian Regional Commission for completion of a 5-mile walking path in the South Point.

Gaskin said South Point tries to stay up to date on what funds are available and move early in seeking them.

“We work consistently to make sure the village gets all grant opportunities when they present themselves,” he said.