NEW PHILADELPHIA (Tusco TV) - Four local municipalities and two townships will be reaping the benefits of Tuscarawas County’s 2019-2020 Community Development Block Grant allocation. 

Community Economic Development Director Scott Reynolds says a total of six projects benefitting low-to-moderate income residents will receive a portion of the county’s two-year allocation of $334,000. Reynolds says Fairfield Township will receive the largest share at just over $75,000 to repave 3,400 feet of Riggle Hill Road. This is a reduction from the township’s original request of around $228,000 but Reynolds says they determined they could scale the project back and still meet the needs of the majority of those residents. 

"They had applied originally for about 10,000 linear feet of paving but what we found was probably two-thirds to three-fourths of the residents were within that 3,400, 3,500 linear feet," he says.

The allocation also includes $47,000 to the City of Dover for improvements to West Sixth Street between  Center Street and Tuscarawas Avenue and $41,000 Uhrichsville to replace sidewalks and curbs on West First Street from South Water Street to Miller Avenue. Reynolds says the grant will cover the entire cost of the Uhrichsville project and around a third of the project in Dover.

“They just don’t have the funds to put into it, to put in a large amount. Now, the City of Dover is in a little bit better financial shape than your average village and township in the county and they’re able to put a significant amount of money with that,” he explains.

Also sharing in the allocation will be Port Washington, Tuscarawas and Warren Township for paving projects. Port Washington will get $30,000 to repave South Saint Clairsville Road. Tuscarawas will receive $25,000 for Park Drive, and Warren Township was approved for just over $49,000 for Lake Drive and True Road. Reynolds says the remaining $64,000 of the county’s two-year CDBG allocation will go toward administrative fees. 

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