“Provincial Thinking Equals Lost Funding” by Terry Wright
Provincial Thinking Equals Lost Funding
By Terry D. Wright
In the May 14, 2009 edition of the Dayton Daily News, the Opinion page (A18) published two thought provoking articles:
“Joint Effort Could Turn Down Cost of Lights”
“Education Without Politics? Not This time”
Both articles emphasize the need for cities to use regionalism in their approach to secure the most equitable financing. The first article emphasizes the possibilities of communities banning together to create leverage through negotiations to bring down street lighting costs. This article points out that “the Miami Valley Cable Council already acts as an agent for Englewood and seven other cities to negotiate cable rates, those communities also use the council to negotiate the rates for street lighting. Then a host of other cities usually follow with copycat contracts, and generally accept the same rates that were agreed to in the council’s talks with Miami Valley Lighting.” Without regional negotiations the result is that municipalities are not happy because street lighting rates vary throughout the state.
The article concerning Ohio’s education examines U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan’s visit to the Buckeye State in discussions over school reform financing. A possible coalition is examined concerning “needy Midwestern states that might apply for a big education challenge grant together – say Ohio, Michigan and Indiana (where Republican Mitch Daniels is governor).” The article points out that those three states were battleground states that went for Obama in 2008. Again, regional negotiating for funding is seen as a definite advantage.
Locally, we have already discovered how a regional approach could have benefited Piqua in applying for federal stimulus funds.
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides a list of drinking water and water pollution control projectsAmerican Recovery and Reinvestment ActARRA) also known as federal stimulus funding. The Ohio Water Pollution Control Loan Fund has been designated to deliver approximately $220.6 million of the stimulus funds for water pollution control projects.
Ohio EPA Director Chris Korleski announced intended project priority lists that include 69 drinking water projects in 52 communities and 255 water pollution control projects in 164 communities to be offered through stimulus funding. Troy , under the WPCLF ARRA Intended Projects List (Apr. 23, 2009) is listed for Sanitary Sewer Relining Rehabilitation and Miami County is listed for 3 projects: Fletcher Sanitary Sewers – Construction; Hilltop Combined Sewer Separation, Fletcher; and Miami County Sanitary Engineer, CR25A sewers. Shelby County ’s Jackson Center is on the list for Sanitary Sewers Shelby Co. is also listed on the Water Supply Revolving Loan Account ARRA Intended Projects List Program Year 2010 with 4 projects; 3 of which are in Sidney. Sidney ’s projects include distribution upgrades, lime sludge lagoon project, metering project, and Northbrooke MHP (MHP Holdings) connection to Sidney ’s water supply. Piqua is not listed on either of the lists.
The cities of Sidney , Troy, Fletcher, and Miami and Shelby counties were successful in getting stimulus funding for water projects. The City of Sidney ’s Utilities Director Chris Clark emailed me that he spent extensive time researching the stimulus funds for water and sewer needs. “I spent a good deal of time talking to OEPA officials to find out which projects would be considered ‘quality’ projects and would therefore receive higher rankings,” Clark emailed me.
Perhaps, it’s time to stop thinking parochially about city issues and begin to think regionally.
Terry D. Wright
Piqua, OH 45356
L2j56@yahoo.com
