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STEUBENVILLE -- With the deadline for spending ARPA money looming, the Jefferson County Commissioners said Thursday they aren't sure how much longer they can wait to find out if their parking lot project will get funding from a different source, Ohio's Appalachian Community Grant program.
Commissioners initially had held back $600,000 from their federal ARPA fund allotment for the project, which involves upgrading parking across from the Tower building with new curbing, drainage and pavement, and developing a veteran-themed green space with life-sized statues, but then decided to try for ACG funding -- thinking that, if they're successful, it would free up the ARPA money for other projects.
But the ARPA money came with strings attached -- one of the most important being all projects must be completed by the end of 2024.
The ACG spending deadline is less imminent: To be eligible for reimbursement, all project work must be completed by Oct. 31, 2026.
The parking lot, one of 43 activities in 17 counties included in Jefferson Soil and Water's Heart of Appalachia grant application, could be done in October 2025.
Commissioners had hoped to know by the end of March what projects had been selected for ACG funding. To date, the DeWine administration has announced only about $64 million in ACG awards for school-based health care projects, none of them in Jefferson County.
"It's just a unique situation where we have two buckets of money, potentially, for a project and both of them have different completion dates," Commissioner Dave Maple said after the meeting. "We keep thinking they're going to (make their ACG funding announcements) and the longer they don't, the more at risk the other (ARPA) funding is."
During the meeting, Maple had proposed at least putting the parking lot project out for bids, pointing out they aren't bound to accept any. That way, if ACG funding is a no go they'd still be able to get the parking lot done using the $600,000 from ARPA -- and if they get ACG funding, they'd be able to focus on redirecting the ARPA money to something else.
"Nobody's trying to put us in a bind but the fact of the matter is we are in one," Maple said.
His motion died for lack of a second, however, amid concern that the state might deem it ineligible for ACG consideration once bids are advertised.
"I like that idea, I thought about it a lot yesterday," Commissioner Tony Morelli admitted. "But I would have the same problem -- if soil and water would come to us and say 'We got the Appalachian Community Grant but they took your project out, which they can do, because we bid it out,' I wouldn't be happy with myself if I decided I couldn't wait another month for an ACG decision. We're rolling the dice: We don't if we'll get it, the chances are probably better we won't than we will, but in my mind, if there's a chance to free up $600,000 and get the parking lot done with the ACG grant, I've got to wait."
Morelli admits it was a tough decision.
"I think we all agree we need the parking lot finished -- it's been in bad shape for since I got here four years ago," he said. "If we hear in the next week or the next month that we're getting ACG funding, that would free up $600,000 that we can use for other projects. But we've been talking all morning about how we're a poor community and $600,000 can do a lot ... I'm not ready to vote on (the motion) right now, but I don't know how long I can hold out."
Commissioner Eric Timmons admitted not knowing is causing issues, "but hopefully we'll hear something soon."
"I remain hopeful," Timmons said. "We live in an impoverished county and I think we all try to do our best with the dollars we do have, but we have a lot of needs right now. If we can get that (the ACG) money, then we could have the ARPA money back so we can do other projects."
Soil and Water Project Manager Aaron Dodds told commissioners the parking lot project, if funded, would tie into the Steubenville Streetscape design "and be a tourist destination as well as a quality of life improvement" for area residents.
County Maintenance Supervisor Patrick Boyles voiced concern with the lot's current condition and told commissioners they can still do the work using the original site designs, done by County Engineer Jim Branagan's office, and be done within the ARPA guidelines, though that window is rapidly closing.
Commissioners, meanwhile, agreed to reallocate $65,000 of the ARPA money they'd awarded to Jobs and Family Services for a phone system upgrade to a fire suppression system for the Children's Home.
Maple reported that the consultants helping Jefferson County Port Authority find funding to develop the new spec building at the industrial park advise the port will need a title to the property for collateral. At his suggestion, Auditor E.J. Conn was asked to "start drawing up the documents to transfer the property to the port authority, knowing that that will involve property descriptions."