County projects receive state funding

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

COLUMBUS — Seven projects totaling more than $1 million are scheduled for funding through Senate Bill 310, the Ohio capital budget bill that Ohio Governor John Kasich is expected to sign in the near future.

State Representative Tony Burkley (R-Payne), who voted for the legislation, said the measure, which has passed both the Ohio House and Ohio Senate, would provide funds for community improvement projects around the state.

SB 310, also known as the capital budget bill, would invest a total of nearly $2.6 billion in funding across Ohio for priorities such as infrastructure, workforce development, and the arts. A considerable portion of the funding goes to support repairs and renovations at primary and secondary education facilities through the Ohio School Facilities Commission.

In Burkley’s Senate district, more than $2 million is earmarked for a number of projects in Van Wert, Auglaize, Defiance, and Paulding counties.

“With the help of local entities throughout the district, we’ve been able to support these worthy investments and fund various projects they’re pursuing,” Burkley said. “We are fortunate enough to have a fiscally sound state budget and still be able to invest in our communities for years to come.”

The final version of the bill includes seven county projects. They include:

• $200,000 for Middle Point Ballpark improvements
• $125,000 for Delphos Community Pool and Splash Park
• $250,000 for the Wren Community Building Shelter and Pavilion
• $149,000 for an Ohio City recreation facility
• $60,000 for the Convoy Opera House project
• $112,000 for the Van Wert County Historical Society museum
• $175,000 for Wassenberg Art Center

The largest project in Senate District 1 is a $900,000 project at the Armstrong Air and Space Museum and STEM Education Center in Wapakoneta, while an expansion project at John Paulding Historical Museum will also receive $30,000.

Other projects include $100,000 for Auglaize County Agricultural Facility improvements, $50,000 for a Hicksville splash pad, and $125,000 for the Auglaize County Mansfield Museum and Train Depot.