MEDINA: Board fishes for funds

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June 26, 2008

By Nicole Coleman<br><a href="mailto:colemann@gnnewspaper.com">E-mail Nicole</a> The Journal-Register Thu Jun 26, 2008, 10:48 AM EDT

The Medina Village Board is pursuing two state grants that would provide funding for downtown improvements.

The Transportation Enhancement Program grant administered by the state Department of Transportation could provide more than $1 million in funding for sidewalk replacement and the planting of trees on several main streets, said Mayor Adam Tabelski. Because it is an 80/20 matching grant, the DOT would pay 80 percent of the total project cost, leaving the village with 20 percent of the bill.

“The TEP grant could really help bring a lot of financial resources in the community to help us maintain some of our main roadways and walkways,” Tabelski said. Those roads include Gwinn Street, Park Avenue, West Avenue, Railroad Avenue, Proctor Place and Pearl Street. The Medina Canal Basin would receive decorative sidewalks and lighting.

Any improvements to Gwinn Street will allow the village to reallocate that money to repavement of the roadway.

To strengthen the application, community residents and businesses submitted several letters of support, Tabelski said. The letters state that funding provided by the TEP grant will improve pedestrian safety, especially for school children, as well as its aesthetic appeal.

It also states that the sidewalks identified are in the village’s highest pedestrian traffic areas with access to the school, the Railroad Museum, downtown and the canal. Upgrades to the basin would provide better access, as well.

The second grant is through the Local Waterfront Revitalization Program and administered by the state Department of State. The grant would provide $30,000, to be matched by the village, for the creation of a local revitalization strategy.

Tabelski said the grant could help the village capitalize on its resources.

The services provided by the LWRP grant could complement another grant the Medina Business Association is pursuing through the Western Erie Canal Alliance Regional Main Street Revitalization Program, he said. The latter would provide $70,000 in consultation services to set Medina up for positive revitalization of its main streets.

Village cost to LaBella Associates of Rochester for the completion of both grant applications is $5,000 for TEP and $1,500 for LWRP, according to past resolutions adopted by the board.

“All of these programs are very competitive, so we probably won’t know anything for several months,” Tabelski said.

In other village news, the board approved applications submitted by two downtown business owners for the village’s matching grant facade improvement program. The money is reallocated by the board with $189,000 in funding awarded them by the state Office of Small Cities last year, Tabelski said.

The project’s aim is to help business owners with exterior building improvements such as facade, roof and awning repair, window replacement and painting, Tabelski said. The program will close out Aug. 31, and board members are encouraging business owners to take advantage of the funding before it is too late. They are eligible to apply for up to $20,000 in improvements.

“We would love to see every penny ... spent for downtown improvements,” Tabelski said. “They (do) have to match the money out of their own pockets.”

The grants consultant with the program is preparing a list of local businesses located in the downtown district that have already taken advantage of the program, as well as the amount of funding that remains.

In other business, the board also passed a resolution requiring organizations to receive board approval before placing banners at any public park in the village. Approval was granted for the placement of a fishing derby banner at Rotary Park.

Contact reporter Nicole Colemanat 798-1400, ext. 8227.

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