Ohio Public Works Round 23 Meeting Set
The District 18 Ohio Public Works Round 23 Exec. Committee meeting will be May 13 at 10 a.m. at Buckeye Hills in Marietta. The purpose of the meeting is to revise the Round 24 Evaluation Criteria prior to submission to the Integrating Committee as well as to appoint new members to the Natural Resources Assistance Council.
Biomass:
Waste-to-Energy Program Grants Available
The Ohio Department of Development is accepting proposals for $500,000 in funding available for the Biomass - Waste to
Energy Program for projects that demonstrate technologies that utilize farm waste to produce energy in
Ohio's farming communities.
The Biomass - Waste to Energy program is funded through the Advanced Energy Fund administered
by the Ohio Department of Development's Ohio Energy Office. The program encourages private
investment in projects that use anaerobic digestion or similar technologies to produce electricity,
thermal energy and/or conditioned methane gas from farm waste. Eligible projects must demonstrate
completion within two years, job creation and retention during the construction and operation phases,
and the use of Ohio manufactured components and/or ownership by an Ohio partnership or company.
One award of $500,000 or two awards of $250,000 will be selected through a competitive process.
For more information about the Biomass - Waste to Energy Program and requirements to apply for funding, visit: ODOD.
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Assistance to Firefighters Grants
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced it will accept applications for FY2009 Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG). AFG awards, which will be distributed in phases, will provide approximately $510 million to fire departments and emergency medical service organizations. The grants enable local fire departments and emergency medical services organizations to purchase or receive training, conduct first responder health and safety programs, and buy equipment and response vehicles.
The Recovery Act provided $210 million in funding to DHS to construct new fire stations or modify existing fire stations. That funding opportunity will be announced in the near future and eligible applicants will be instructed on the application requirements at that time. However, station construction will NOT be an eligible grant activity under the regular order fiscal 2009 grant cycle. Interested parties should monitor www.recovery.gov for updated information.
Applications are due Wednesday, May 20.
For more information and application instructions, go to: DHS Site.
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March
Unemployment Rates
Ohio's unemployment rate was 9.7 percent in March, up from the revised rate of 9.5 percent in February. The U.S. rate for March was 8.5 percent, up from 8.1 percent in February.
Rates in the region:
Athens: 8%
Hocking: 11.6%
Meigs: 15.5%
Monroe: 13.1%
Morgan: 15.5%
Noble: 13.7%
Perry: 13.9%
Washington: 9.4%
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USDA Appoints Under Sec. for Rural Development: Cheryl Cook has been appointed as Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development at the United States Dept. of Agriculture. Cook will manage policies and programs in Rural Development's three main areas: Business and Cooperatives; Housing and Community Facilities and Utilities.
Before joining USDA, Cook served as Dep. Secretary for Marketing/Economic Development for the Penn. Dept. of Agriculture. | |
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| Semi-Annual General Policy Council Meeting:
Buckeye Hills honored long-time member of the Board of Directors Bob Daubenmier with the Boyer Simcox Leadership Award at its Semi-Annual Meeting on April 28. In addition, the new slate of officers was announced and includes: President: Ron Moore, Morgan County; Vice-President: Virgil Thompson, Noble County and Treasurer: Sam Cook, Washington County.
 Shown at left is 2009 Simcox Leadership Award winner Bob Daubenmier of Hocking County with Exec. Director Misty Casto. The award recognizes a current or past Buckeye Hills-Hocking Valley Regional Development District Board member, business, community or county leader who exemplifies principles of vision and leadership and commitment to the success of the 8-county region.
Bob has served with the Buckeye Hills Executive Committee most recently as President and has been involved with our work in the region for more than 16 years. He has also served as a Hocking County township clerk, county commissioner, and is now president of Logan City Council.
"To say that Bob exemplifies vision and leadership is an understatement," said Casto. "He is a dedicated civic and community leader and has served with commitment and candor. I am honored to know Bob and to have worked with him over the past 16 years."
 Shown accepting the DDAA donation to The Don Myers Legacy Fund with Casto is CEO and President for the Foundation, Cara Dingus Brook (right) and Dan Neff of ARC.
Ohio Launches Ohio InSite: New, Official Site Selection Website
 Created to meet the information needs of location consultants, commercial realtors, and capital investors by effectively delivering answers to the critical location decision questions with a dynamic, map-based interface. These questions include:
- Is there available property in the Ohio that meets my needs?
- Which business opportunities or cluster companies are near?
- What are the geographically specific assets, infrastructure, support services & incentives available in the Ohio location I favor?
- What are the market characteristics of a potential business location in Ohio?
- How does a specific location compare to other Ohio locations I might consider? and
- What economic development entities represent the area I am considering and how can I contact them?
Ohio InSite is the only state-level site selection system supported and managed by the Ohio Department of Development and Ohio Business Development Coalition.
Click here to experience Ohio InSite, Ohio's new site selection tool. |
Buckeye Hills Develops Project Profile Application Process: Deadline June 5
As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Buckeye Hills was asked to gather potential projects from the eight-county region. Region submissions were wide-ranging, including infrastructure, education, health care, and more. To make life easier, Buckeye Hills has adapted that information into a basic spreadsheet format, to sort projects into categories and forward onto proper agencies as needed.
Buckeye Hills has adopted that same approach for its regular application process in 2009. This year, begin by completing the basic project profile form. It is a simple, self-explanatory form that will ask for basic information about your project, including:
· Contact information
· Project type
· Project readiness
· Regional impact
· Funding sources/Total project cost
· Project partners
· Project description
Complete the form and submit it to the Buckeye Hills office. Based on the information provided about projects, staff can easily determine the proper funding source (ARC, CDBG, EDA, etc.) and begin the process of assembling budgets and asking for full project applications.
Projects must serve residents in one or more of the region's eight counties: Athens, Hocking, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Noble, Perry, and Washington. While each funding source with has specific goals, they generally address the following issues:
· To create/retain private sector jobs (ARC, EDA)
· To extend or upgrade water or sewer services (ARC, CDBG)
· To provide quality health care (ARC)
· To provide job skills training (ARC)
· To develop/improve infrastructure for residents (ARC)
A copy of the project profile is avaialbe on the website. The project profile is a form that can be filled in electronically.
Project profiles are due in our office no later than 5p.m. Friday June 5, 2009.
Submit project profiles in one of three ways:
Electronically: Email to cwesel@buckeyehills.org
By Mail:
Buckeye Hills-Hocking Valley Regional Development District
ATTN: Charmel Wesel
PO Box 520
Reno, OH 45750
By Hand delivery:
Buckeye Hills-Hocking Valley Regional Development District
1400 Pike Street
Marietta, OH 45750
EDA 2009 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) Annual Report Comments Due:The 2009 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) Annual Report is due to EDA - Chicago by June 30, 2009. Staff is working to complete this updated docment. For further information on the CEDS and its background, uses and requirements, visit the EDA website.
Two one-hour webinars have been scheduled in order to gather input from the CEDS committee for use in the Annual Report, those dates are: - Thursday, May 14, 2009 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. - Thursday, May 28, 2009 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Members of the CEDS committee will be receiving notice of these meetings shortly. For anyone who may not be able to attend the web meetings, or who is not on the committee but wishes to submit comments, please use the form available on the BH-HVRDD web site. CEDS COMMENT FORM
A list of CEDS Committee members and past CEDS documents are available on the BH web site as well. |
| AROUND THE DISTRICT:
Meigs County: Racine Receives ARC Grant
Racine will receive a grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission in the amount of $166,513 to support the development of a new commercial business district. Located across the street from Hill's Gas Station, the area will eventually include a Dollar General Store and the Home National Bank.
The ARC grant specifically relates to the upgrade and extension of Sycamore Street. The project includes six catch basins, 1,678 linear feet of curb and gutter, 600 ton of asphalt, 3,740 linear feet of concrete for four-inch sidewalk, 300 linear feet of C-900 water line, four gate valves, one fire hydrant, grading, seeding and mulching. The county has promised $20,000 in Community Development Block Grant money, and a village loan for around $10,000 to pay for the project.
Old Pomeroy-Mason Bridge Destroyed
 The old Pomeroy Mason Bridge's center span was detonated with explosives and sank into the Ohio River April 21 as crews began clean up of the old structure.
Monroe County: Woodsfield Receives ARC Grant
Congressman Charlie Wilson (OH-6) recently announced a $250,000 federal grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) to upgrade the Village of Woodsfield's public water system. The grant will help provide improved service to 1,127 households, 193 commercial businesses and one industry.
According to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Woodsfield does not have a sufficient water supply. To supplement its existing reservoir supply, the village purchased Rubel's Lake, a 20-acre farm pond located six miles from the nearest water treatment plant. ARC funds will be used to construct a water line to connect the water source to meet water demands during periods of drought. The project will also support the expansion plans of local businesses and the school district.
In addition to ARC funds, an Ohio Community Develop-ment Block Grant of $448,900 and an approximately $198,900 zero-two percent loan from the Ohio Water Development Authority will bring the total project funding to about $897,800.
Buckeye Hills Executive Director Misty Casto continued her visits to the district's county commission board meetings in April with a visit to Monroe County. Shown is Casto with Commissioners (from left) Carl Davis, Tim Price and John Pyles.
 Congressman Charlie Wilson (6th District) visited the region in April. He is shown here with Katie Thomas who is showing him a fishing fly she made at Broken Timber Outdoor Education Center in Monroe County. While touring the Outdoor Education Center, Wilson said, "This is fabulous! It's a wonderful idea. I know that when children get started with good habits like the ones they are learning here, they do not show up later doing bad things. They become good, productive individuals with a passion for other things ... This is a wonderful opportunity and Monroe County should be so proud of this." Photo courtesy of Monroe County Beacon.
U.S. Senator George V. Voinovich (R-OH) announced that McConnellsville will receive $191,280 in ARC funds to improve its sanitary sewer system and support the creation of 125 new jobs, retain 60 jobs and provide improved service to 1,199 households. In addition to ARC, the Ohio Water Authority has committed an additional $47,820 for a project cost of $239,100.
 Buckeye Hills Executive Director Misty Casto visited with the county commission board in Morgan County. Shown is Casto with Commissioners (from left) Don Reynolds, Mike Reed and Dean Cain.
Noble County: Caldwell Receives ARC Grant Congressman Charlie Wilson (OH-6) and U.S. Senator George V. Voinovich (R-OH) announced that Caldwell will receive a $237,650 federal Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) grant for sewer improvements in the Village. The grant will help separate the village's combined sewer and storm sewer systems and provide improved service to 213 households, six businesses and the high school. |
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 May is Older Americans Month: "Reinvent Yourself, Reinvent Aging"
The Ohio theme for Older Americans Month - May 2009 is "Reinvent Yourself, Reinvent Aging." Ohio Senior Citizens Day is May 19. A list of regional activities will soon be available on the AAA8 web site at www.areaagency8.org.
ODA AAA8 Award Winners Announced: AAA8 region winners for the ODA state-level Award programs will be honored in May.
- 2009 Elder Caregiving Awardee: Donna Sullivan, Nelsonville
- Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame Class of 2009: Clarence Reich, formerly of Woodsfield
AAA8 Supports Efforts to Develop the Region's Home Health Provider Cooperative: In partnership with The Ohio State Univ. Cooperative Development Center's Tom Snyder, Ph.D., who develops regional cooperatives, AAA8 has worked with its provider representatives to conduct a feasibility study to determine the potential for a working cooperative among the region's home health care providers focusing on common, critical and acceptable issues. In April, the work group formally voted to move forward with development of the cooperative and formalizing by-laws.
AAA8 Launches 2009 Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program Across Region:
 In April nearly 1,300 seniors in the region, who meet the eligibility guidelines, signed up to receive some welcome relief from rising food budgets. The Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) provides income-eligible senior citizens with special coupons worth $50 to buy produce.
The Seniors Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) is a USDA program in which grants are awarded to provide coupons to low-income seniors.Only fresh, locally grown fruits, herbs and vegetables are eligible to be purchased with the coupons. Shown above is the event at Noble County. For details call 1-800-331-2644.
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Mark Your Calendars - Events of Note:
ARRA Grants Seminar - May 7
U.S. Senator George V. Voinovich (R-OH) will host a grants seminar May 7, 2009. The free event targets faith and community-based organizations and others who are interested in learning more about the availability of federal grants and specific programs.This event will be an opportunity to learn more about both federal grants and specific federal and state programs which will distribute funding from the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 and from other FY 2009-2010 federal grant opportunities, to ask questions directly of agency representatives, and to network with fellow Ohioans.
- Thursday, May 7 from 9:15 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.
- Auditorium, William E. Green Building
30 W. Spring Street, 2nd Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215
The agenda will include presentations from these federal and state agencies: U.S. Departments of Housing and Urban Development;
Education; Labor; Agency for International Development (U.S. AID); AmeriCorps; and the Small Business Administration. Please RSVP to: Linda Greenwood in Sen. Voinovich's office at 419-259-3895
Moving Forward Labor Relationships In Tough Times: Southeast Ohio Labor Management Committee Program
Join keynote speaker Lt. Governor, Lee Fisher for a conversation on
successfully establishing solid working relationships between labor and management. Presented in cooperation with The Ohio Department of Development and the Governor's Regional Office
May 11 from 1-3 p.m. Athens Community Arts Parks & Recreation: 701 E. State St., Athens. RSVP to Julia Graham at Julia.Graham@development.ohio.gov or at (740) 373-5150.
2009 Ohio Brownfield Conference
Mark your calendars for the 2009 Ohio Brownfield Conference, to be held May 12-14 at the Roberts Centre in Wilmington, Ohio. Registration information will be sent in the near future from Ohio EPA via email to those on the interested party list. To enroll in the Ohio Brownfield Interested Party List, please visit:
http://www.epa.state.oh.us/derr/SABR/Email/email.html.
How to Use the Internet to Grow Your Business
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Speakers:Sharon Delay, President and Mary Kaufmann, Faculty,
MISST: Master of Information Strategy, Systems and Technology
May 21 from9a.m. - Noon ($59 Non-Chamber Members)
Mr. Lee's Restaurant: 2000 E Wheeling Avenue in Cambridge.
Click Here to Register | |
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