New Philadelphia, Ohio (WJER) - The city’s mayor is hoping the momentum continues from 2018 after reviewing progress in his state of the city report. 

Joel day says New Phila saw a lot of economic success in 2018, with businesses moving in and expanding. He says the year was highlighted with the start of several construction projects around town.

“On the east side, the Kent State Tuscarawas Gateway entrance project, [they] started construction of that. On the west side of town, the Menards store went under construction in August, and then in the Technology Park, Gemini Industrial Machine became the first business to locate within the park,” he says.

But Day says they also have their challenges ahead, as the city reels from a continued loss in local government funding from the state. He says you can see the effect it’s had on the city by checking out their streets.

“We need that money that we money that we pay as a state to come back here so we can keep our roads in better repair,” he says. “That is so crucial, not only for the people who drive on them every day, but the businesses depend on good road conditions.”

Day says in 2018, the city was awarded more than $1.3-million in state and federal grant money. He says while that is helpful, it’s just another symptom of the state taking away funding and forcing them to look elsewhere to make up the difference. 

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