Fiscal Year 2027 Community Project Funding Requests
Project Sponsor: Jackson County Sheriff’s Office
Project Title: Tactical Armored Rescue Vehicle Acquisition
Location: 350 Portsmouth Street, Jackson, Ohio 45640
Requested Amount: $415,890
Use of Funds and Justification: The funding would be used to purchase a tactical armored rescue vehicle. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because this type of vehicle will help Jackson County, and nearby counties who would also be able to use the vehicle, respond to emergency situations in a safer and more effective manner. This project directly improves the safety of the law enforcement community in southeast Ohio. It also improves the safety and security of citizens in the area by making it easier for law enforcement to handle armed criminal situations.
Project Sponsor: Clermont County Sheriff’s Office
Project Title: SAFE Unit Expansion Project
Location: 4470 State Route 222, Batavia, Ohio 45103
Requested Amount: $1,000,000
Use of Funds and Justification: The funding would be used for expanding the SAFE Unit into a regional digital forensic, crime gun intelligence, and investigative analytical laboratory service in Ohio’s Second Congressional District and surrounding jurisdictions. This project will transform the existing county-based SAFE Unit into a centralized regional public safety resource capable of supporting nearly one million residents, nearly 5x the current service population. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because, over the past decade, Clermont County has experienced a 30% increase in felony crime and, over the past five years, homicides have surged by 322%. This surge in crime demonstrates the urgent need for advanced digital forensic processing and coordinated crime gun intelligence across the region. By centralizing advanced forensic capabilities into a single regional hub, this project maximizes taxpayer value, reduces duplicative spending across agencies, accelerates investigations, and improves crime clearance rates.
Project Sponsor: City of Portsmouth
Project Title: Southern Ohio Electrical Workforce Training Initiative
Location: 728 Second Street, Portsmouth, OH 45662
Requested Amount: $559,702.86
Use of Funds and Justification: Southern Ohio faces a critical and growing shortage of skilled electrical workers. Across a 10-county service area in southern Ohio, electrical contractors and customers consistently report an inability to find enough qualified electricians to meet project demands. Commercial development, industrial expansion, infrastructure modernization, and new construction activity are accelerating throughout the region, yet the pipeline of trained electrical professionals has not kept pace.
With updated equipment, apprentices will receive more robust hands-on training that allows instructors to address individual skill gaps and learning challenges. This will reduce jobsite delays, improve safety, and ensure contractors have access to workers who can perform effectively from the start.
Project Sponsor: Village of West Union
Project Title: Critical Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Improvements
Location: 3875 State Route 247, West Union, Ohio, 45613
Requested Amount: $2,000,000
Use of Funds and Justification: The Village of West Union is seeking funding assistance for critical water and wastewater infrastructure improvements necessary to protect public health, maintain regulatory compliance, and ensure long-term system reliability. The first component of this request is the stabilization of an active slope failure at the Village’s Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). Significant ground movement is occurring along the plant perimeter, with visible settlement and cracking extending into the facility’s parking and access areas and approaching critical treatment infrastructure, including the digester tanks. Continued soil displacement poses a direct threat to plant operations and essential wastewater treatment processes. The proposed solution consists of constructing a 36-inch diameter drilled pier soldier pile retaining wall installed on 8-foot centers with reinforced concrete lag panels to permanently stabilize the slope and protect the facility. The second component includes the replacement and relocation of a failing 10-inch water main along State Route 41 and State Route 125. The existing line has experienced deterioration and reliability issues and includes a segment running through a cemetery along State Route 125, creating long-term maintenance and access challenges. The project will install a new PVC waterline within the state highway corridor and allow for abandonment of the problematic cemetery segment, improving system integrity, reducing water loss risk, and enhancing operational reliability. Together, these projects represent essential infrastructure investments addressing immediate public utility risks while strengthening the Village’s long-term water and wastewater system resilience.
Project Sponsor: Village of Rio Grande
Project Title: Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion and Collection System Improvements
Location: 174 E. College St., Rio Grande, Ohio, 45674
Requested Amount: $726,375
Use of Funds and Justification: The Village of Rio Grande Wastewater System provides water and sewer services to residents and businesses within the Village and to the neighboring Village of Centerville. The University of Rio Grande/Rio Grande Community College and Rio Grande Elementary School are located in the Village of Rio Grande and also receive water and sewer services from the Village systems. This wastewater collection system was originally constructed in 1936. Most recently in May of 2023, upgrades to the collection system were completed to reduce inflow and infiltration (I/I). In spite of this, flow records from the Village’s Wastewater Treatment Plant indicate high rates of I/I during wet weather, with flow rate often exceeding seven times the average normal daily flow. Smoke testing was conducted and it was determined that there are several issues present within the systems, which are too numerous and widespread to correct with regular maintenance due to the age of the system. For this reason, the Village needs to carry out the proposed improvements. Design has been completed for the project, and the Village assumed the loan burden for completion of design. Readiness to Proceed benchmarks have been met. To make the construction portion of the project affordable for the Village, it is critical that additional grant funding is secured.
Project Sponsor: Village of Racine
Project Title: Racine Water System Improvements
Location: 405 Main Street, Racine, Ohio 45771
Requested Amount: $285,000
Use of Funds and Justification: Reliable water infrastructure is essential to protecting public health, supporting economic development, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of rural communities. Investing in Racine's water infrastructure will improve system reliability and efficiency, help ensure compliance with regulatory standards, and support future economic growth. Rural communities like Racine rely on strong partnerships at the federal, state, and local levels to maintain essential public infrastructure, and this funding assistance will allow the Village to improve its water infrastructure for hundreds of residential and dozens of commercial properties.
Project Sponsor: Village of Leesburg
Project Title: Water Expansion Project
Location: 57 S Fairfield Street, Leesburg, OH 45135
Requested Amount: $3,859,714.82
Use of Funds and Justification: The funding would be used to strengthen and secure the Village of Leesburg’s water system to meet both current demands and future growth, while positioning the community for expanded industrial and commercial development. This project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because the project strengthens essential infrastructure, protects public health and safety, and supports long-term community and economic growth.
Project Sponsor: Village of Beaver
Project Title: Sanitary Sewer Lift Station Replacement
Location: 7460 Ohio 335, Beaver, Ohio, 45693
Requested Amount: $1,440,000
Use of Funds and Justification: The Village of Beaver proposes the rehabilitation of two aging sanitary sewer lift stations that have reached the end of their useful life and are at significant risk of failure. Originally constructed around 1980, the existing facilities contain outdated mechanical and electrical components that are increasingly unreliable and costly to maintain. Failure of either lift station could result in sanitary sewer overflows, environmental contamination, and public health hazards affecting approximately 200 residential households. The project will include removal of obsolete pumps and controls, structural rehabilitation of the wet wells and appurtenant structures, installation of modern high-efficiency pumps, upgraded electrical and control systems, and associated site improvements. These upgrades will restore long-term reliability to the wastewater collection system, reduce emergency repair costs, improve operational efficiency, and ensure continued compliance with environmental regulations. With a total project cost of $1,800,000, this investment will protect public health, safeguard local waterways, and strengthen essential infrastructure that supports the long-term sustainability and economic stability of the Village of Beaver.
Project Sponsor: Village of South Point
Project Title: Sewer Reline Project
Location: 415 Solida Road, South Point, Ohio, 45680
Requested Amount: $1,600,000
Use of Funds and Justification: This project will replace the sewer line in the higher elevation to stop inflow infiltration into the system. When the Village receives 1 inch of rain, our sewer plant, which normally handles 800,000 gallons a day receives an additional 2.5 million gallons of sewer. The plant recirculates and retreats this effluent constantly. Funds will be used for bidding the project, contractor mobilization/demobilization, construction administration and observation, maintenance of traffic, sewer re-lining material, repairs, labor, and site restoration. This project would replace critical infrastructure providing safer sewer lines to citizens in South Point, Lawrence County Ohio. Relining and repairing the well-aged system will greatly reduce flow to the wastewater treatment plant, allowing for future growth and extending the life of the plant.
Project Sponsor: Village of Laurelville
Project Title: Storm and Sanitary Sewer Improvements
Location: 18751 Main Street, Laurelville, Ohio, 43135
Requested Amount: $720,000
Use of Funds and Justification: The project will replace failing storm sewers in critical areas in downtown Laurelville. It will also prevent pollution by reducing Inflow and Infiltration (I/I) in the sanitary sewer system that causes effluent limit violations at the wastewater treatment plant. The project will control flooding in downtown Laurelville, which is the intersection of two state routes, 180 and 56. It will also protect the public waters of Salt Creek by reducing pollution resulting from effluent violations at the wastewater treatment plant. The existing clay sanitary sewers will be lined to extend their useful life by a minimum of 50 years.
Project Sponsor: Village of Clarksburg (Municipal Government - Public Wastewater Utility)
Project Title: Village of Clarksburg for Sanitary Sewer Improvements
Location: 10849 Main Street, Clarksburg, Ohio 43315
Requested Amount: $3,000,000
Use of Funds and Justification: Providing this funding to the Village of Clarksburg will assist residents in the 2nd District with obtaining a safe and reliable sewer system that is not inundated with I&I and polluting the local streams. The Village's sanitary sewer system is made up of mostly old clay sewer line material that has reached its useful life, and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is requiring the Village to address this issue. The Village has already started the planning process for the project and will undertake flow monitoring to help pinpoint the I&I sources and will evaluate the WWTP for deficiencies that need to be addressed. Because Clarksburg is a small, lower-income community, financing these necessary improvements solely through loans would require rate increases that would impose an undue hardship on many households that are already facing economic challenges. The Village is committed to responsible financial stewardship and long-term infrastructure planning, and external grant funding is essential to move this project forward in a sustainable manner.
Project Sponsor: Hocking County Commissioners
Project Title: Haydenville Sanitary Sewer Projects
Location: 1 East Main Street, Logan, OH 43138
Requested Amount: $6,000,000
Use of Funds and Justification: This project replaces a failing, noncompliant sewer system with a modern, environmentally responsible, and financially sustainable solution. It directly addresses groundwater infiltration, eliminates unlawful discharge into waterways, ensures regulatory compliance, protects public health, and secures long-term infrastructure reliability.
These funds will be a good use of taxpayer dollars because the current system has resulted in ongoing violations due to errant discharge of sewage into nearby waterways. By reconstructing the system and routing wastewater to the Logan Wastewater Treatment Plant, wastewater will receive full, regulated treatment before discharge. This significantly reduces nutrient pollution, bacteria levels, and ecological damage in surrounding streams and groundwater.
Project Sponsor: Village of Sabina
Project Title: Sabina Water Treatment Plant & Water System
Location: 99 N Howard St, Sabina, OH 45169
Requested Amount: $5,000,000
Use of Funds and Justification: The Village of Sabina, Ohio is seeking funds to replace its existing water treatment plant (WTP) which was constructed in 1961. The current plant faces numerous issues including but not limited to the poor physical condition of the WTP building, filters with poor media quality, and insufficient space to replace the current filters. Notably, repairing the filters is not feasible due to the risk of permanently damaging the thin and corroded steel on the structure.
This is a good use of taxpayer dollars because this project directly impacts the approximately 2,500 residents that rely on Sabina’s WTP in addition to other Ohio residents outside the Village that pay for this service. There are also numerous businesses in and around the Village that rely on the WTP as part of their operations. Ensuring the current and future users of Sabina’s WTP protects their health and safety while also creating a foundation for future prosperity in the area.
Project Sponsor: Village of Aberdeen
Project Title: Wastewater Improvement Project
Location: 1142 US Route 52, Aberdeen, OH 45101
Requested Amount: $1,000,000
Use of Funds and Justification: The funding would include much-needed infrastructure improvements to the Village’s wastewater system. It would include capital improvements, such as repairs to its wastewater treatment plant and sewers, and help address the extreme peak sewer flows the Village experiences during wet-weather events. It also includes improvements to manage the documentation required by the EPA in operating its sewer system and wastewater treatment plant, and would provide an electronic maintenance system to help the Village better manage future operations. This project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds, as the existing sewers have deteriorated to the point that they allow a large amount of groundwater and stormwater into the Village’s system. This additional flow can overwhelm the sewers, increasing the risk of raw sewage being released into the surrounding community.
Project Sponsor: Village of Waverly
Project Title: Drinking Water System Meter Modernization
Location: 201 W North St, Waverly, OH 45690
Requested Amount: $1,280,000
Use of Funds and Justification: The funding would be used to modernize a critical component of the Village’s municipal drinking water distribution system by replacing approximately 2,180 aging mechanical water meters with a modern Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system serving all residential and commercial customers throughout the community. The proposed AMI system will provide automated meter readings, real-time usage monitoring, and systemwide data collection capabilities. This will allow the Village’s Water Department to identify leaks, abnormal consumption patterns, and potential waterline failures. This project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds, as a modern AMI system will allow the village to monitor water usage and system conditions in real time, enabling the Water Department to detect leaks and abnormal consumption patterns, helping prevent large-scale water loss and infrastructure failures.
Project Sponsor: Village of Hamden
Project Title: Wastewater Treatment Plant Repair and Update Project
Location: PO Box 335, 48 E. Railroad Street, Hamden, OH 45634
Requested Amount: $509,300
Use of Funds and Justification: The funding would be used to ensure NPDES Permit guideline requirements are being met. Additionally, funding would be used to replace inoperable and/or outdated equipment, including filter membranes, check valves, recycle pumps, oxygen and temperature sensors, and ventilation. Lastly, funds would be used to provide additional safety equipment to protect its employees. This project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds as the wastewater treatment plant service area includes nearly 900 residents, an elementary school, small businesses, and a nearby state park. This project would protect the community from further health hazards, such as drinking water contamination or wastewater infiltration.
Project Sponsor: Adams County Board of Commissioners
Project Title: Locust Grove Sanitary Sewer Project
Location: 215 N. Cross Street, Room 102, West Union, OH 45693
Requested Amount: $2,500,000
Use of Funds and Justification: The funding would be used to construct the Locust Grove Sanitary Sewer Project, including all necessary sanitary sewer infrastructure required to serve the affected residences and convey wastewater to the Village of Peebles for treatment. The use of these funds will minimize or eliminate the need to pass construction debt onto residents. This project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because these funds will address a documented public health nuisance in Adams County and extend reliable sanitary sewer service to approximately 40 households in the Locust Grove area.
Project Sponsor: Clermont Metropolitan Housing Association
Project Title: Veterans Village
Location: 65 S Market St, Batavia, OH 45103
Requested Amount: $1,000,000
Use of Funds and Justification: The funding would be used for construction of 19 multifamily units (16 – 1 Bedroom Units and 3 – 2 Bedroom Units) and a community clubhouse for veterans. The units will be able to accommodate individuals and small families. The village will be open to homeless veterans or at risk of being homeless veterans in the region. “At risk of being homeless” includes veterans that are living in buildings not meant for habitation or in units that do not have the accessibility features needed for a reasonable accommodation. All units will meet Housing Quality Standards (HQS), and the project will be LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Certified, which means the buildings will not only be comfortable for occupants, but also energy efficient. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because these funds would provide much needed housing for veterans who have served their country but find themselves homeless. There is strong community support for this project, as CMHA has secured three financial institutions to offer financial literacy courses at the clubhouse, IPM Food Pantry has agreed to make it a food hub site, and Clermont Senior Services and Clermont County Veterans Service Commission have agreed to provide transportation to veterans who qualify for their services.
Project Sponsor: Village of Gallipolis
Project Title: Industrial Park Lift Station
Location: 333 Third Avenue, Gallipolis, OH 45631
Requested Amount: $769,900
Use of Funds and Justification: This investment will have a tremendous return on investment for taxpayers. By supporting this lift station and the infrastructure of the park, we estimate several hundred new jobs will be added over time. Current site plans have the potential for 14 buildings to be added at the park with one spec building currently in development at the site. These buildings will create a 5x multiple on every manufacturing job added thus increasing the local economy, tax base, and strengthening local development groups. This project will help aid in the development of the Dan Evans Industrial Park, which is projected to add hundreds of new jobs in the coming years. The Park, which is JobsOhio SiteOhio authenticated, is often a top site option for the state as it looks to attract investment. Failure of this lift station would not only jeopardize the existing employment relying on this line, but would inhibit the community from its development goals.
Project Sponsor: Scioto County Commissioners
Project Title: Economic Development SOAR Water Project
Location: 602 Seventh Street, Room 310, Portsmouth, OH 45662
Requested Amount: $3,000,000
Use of Funds and Justification: These funds will be used for the construction of additional engineering, construction, and installation of water lines at the park which would then create additional jobs and opportunities for the citizens in Scioto County and the surrounding region. As a one time project, these taxpayer funds will continue to pay dividends in payroll, taxes, new housing projects for workers, and ongoing opportunities in a region that historically has had higher than average unemployment rates. New jobs mean less people needing the government services which would drive down taxpayer expenditures on government social programs. Ohio's 2nd District is a regional economy. Jobs created at this site will generate wealth for the region and citizens in the surrounding counties. With Ohio's and the Nation's added focus on the Piketon plant, we will need sites ready as extensions for supportive businesses that will enhance the region’s ability to attract other companies. This project has the potential to create 1,700 new jobs on 33 parcels of land surrounding the airport. As a one time project, these taxpayer funds will continue to pay dividends in payroll, taxes, new housing projects for workers, and ongoing opportunities in a region that historically has had higher than average unemployment rates. New jobs mean less people needing the government services which would drive down taxpayer expenditures on government social programs.