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Liberty leans heavily on grants for projects
By robert Guttersohn
Liberty
Changes in state tax laws will cut the township’s general-fund revenue by about $344,000 by 2013, according to reports prepared by the township.
With an eye toward the cuts, administrators and trustees continue to seek grants to update the township infrastructure.
“I feel infrastructure is a key for growth,” Township Administrator Pat Ungaro said.
After becoming administrator in 2003, he said at least half a dozen projects he had pursued within the township fell through because of a lack of funds.
Looking for sources of money, the township turned to grants.
Over the past three years, it has received about $4.5 million in grants from a range of public organizations including the public energy consortium Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council and the state to help update lighting systems, roads, sewer lines and sidewalks.
Both the Goldie Road and Fifth Avenue resurfacing projects were paid for by the Ohio Public Works Commission.
In 2010, the township received a $108,000 grant from NOPEC and used the money to repair lighting systems, upgrade the bathroom at Center Park and pay for the township’s portion of the Shady Lane sidewalk project.
But with more revenue cuts coming, Liberty still seeks infrastructure improvements through grants.
“You have to prepare for [the loss in revenue] a year or two before it comes,” said Ungaro.
With a $500,000 grant from the state, the township plans to lay out sidewalk along Church Hill Road from the public library to the township administration building.
Last week, after learning there was an additional $100,000 NOPEC grant available, Ungaro and Trustee Jodi Stoyak traveled to Cleveland to meet with its Executive Director Leigh Harrington. Trustees would use the money to upgrade lighting in the township.
Several of the grants require the township to pay a portion of the funds, which trustees are cautious to do after just paying off their $200,000 debt in March.
“What’s also important that we have the funds to meet our obligations,” Trustee Chairman Stan Nudell said.
He agreed that the grants are key, but the township can only spend the money it has.
“We’re not going to go out and borrow money to pay for these projects,” he said.