By Gary Ogle
gogle@wbcowqel.com

Crawford County’s effort to spruce up and look sharp just got a $200,000 boost from the federal government. The county was recently awarded a $200,000 EPA Brownfield Assessment Grant.

“The government funding will help do assessments on those properties, Phase I and Phase II,” Michelle Failor said. “From there we’re looking into further grant funding that can help us clean up.”

Failor is an administrative assistant and communications specialist with the Crawford County Education and Economic Development Partnership. She met Wednesday with County Commissioners to discuss the next step which is to bring on a consultant to administer that grant. Failor told Commissioners Jenny Vermillion and Doug Weisenauer that two firms had applied and that it was the recommendation of her agency that Soils and Materials Engineering Inc. out of Kirtland be hired as a consultant for the grant.

The other firm that expressed an interest and had sent a qualifying packet to be considered is T & M Associates in Columbus. Failor said both firms had handled Brownfield Grants in the past, but it was her belief and that of Dave Williamson, that Soils and Materials Energy had more experience.

The commissioners will look at the proposals from both firms, as well as the recommendation, of the CCEEDP before making a decision and a resolution naming its choice of consultant.

The Brownfield Assessment Grant will be used to identify and prioritize properties in the county that need to be torn down and cleaned up so that property can be developed as part of an ongoing effort to attract business and jobs.

“Properties need to apply so there can be an assessment and also we want to evaluate, a little bit of both,” Failor said. “”The consultant will come in and help us manage it (the grant.).”

The plan under which the county will be using the grant indicates the initial assessments will include up to 10 properties and the develop clean-up and development plans for up to four of them. There will be public meetings to get community output.

The plan specifically states that properties considered to be brownfields in Bucyrus, Galion and Crestline will be considered for redevelopment for community use as well as those sites impacting the Sandusky River and Olentangy River watersheds.

Solicitations for site nominations are supposed to begin by Jan. 15 of next year and a prioritization of those sties should begin on May 1.