Published: Sunday, August 5, 2007
Columbiana Co. to discuss project funding options
The program will be similar to Salem's long-range plan.
LISBON — Officials in Columbiana County have been invited to a meeting Wednesday with state officials to learn how to get more funding for local projects.
Audrey Null, executive director of the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce, said area subdivisions may be able to get funding now that Ted Strickland is Ohio's governor. He was formerly a congressman based in Lisbon.
Local governments have long complained that state and federal funds spent through the state went to Ohio's big cities, not rural areas.
"We don't get much at all," Null said.
Various officials from the county, including those from Salem, have met before with state officials. But those officials may not have had much pull within state government, she said.
The state officials at the meeting are higher in the chain of command, Null said.
They will include representatives from the Ohio Department of Development, the Governor's Office of Appalachia and the Ohio Mid-Eastern Government Association.
The event is sponsored by the Salem Area Enterprise Development Forum, a committee of the Salem chamber that has presented seminars on creating jobs.
Null said she has invited about 55 county, city and village officials.
Tracy Drake, the chief executive officer of the Columbiana County Port Authority, will be present.
The chambers of commerce throughout the county are working together to be ready to help in any way if Baard Energy's coal to liquid fuel plant is built near Wellsville as planned.
The event will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday at the Salem Community Center.
Officials will be divided into groups and asked to develop a proposed project for their community.
Null said a project may be something that East Liverpool and Wellsville may want to work on together. Officials from one community may want to work on a project that they want.
The process is similar to the Salem chamber's long-range plan. Participants have formed committees to address different issues, and then reported back to the chamber.
Salem's plan is expected to be released next month.
Null said she also planned to follow up on the development of projects that will be discussed next week. No deadline was set.
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