Following are updates on various topics for your information.
Staff of the Ohio Board of Regents Visit Oberlin – Last week, Patrick McLean, Associate Vice Chancellor of Affordability and Efficiency, and Corey Hawkey, Sustainability Projects Coordinator, both with the Ohio Board of Regents, visited Oberlin to learn more about the town-gown collaborations on sustainability. A team of College, community and City representatives briefed Mr. McLean and Mr. Hawkey on the various sustainability efforts, energy efficiency efforts, the quest for renewable energy and more. It was a visit that is expected to be the first of several similar contacts to share Oberlin’s example with other colleges and universities and their communities.
Audit of 2005 CDBG Downtown Revitalization Grant Completed – The City was awarded its second Downtown Revitalization Grant under the Ohio Department of Development’s (ODOD) Community Development Block Grant program ($400,000) in late 2005. That competitive grant program provides funding to assist communities with downtown improvement projects. That grant provided funding for private building rehabilitation activities (such as façade improvements or interior building upgrades to address code requirements), clearance activities, a public street improvement project (the installation of a new traffic signal with crosswalks at South Main and Vine Streets) and administration. The grant period ended on December 31, 2008. In accordance with ODOD’s usual practice, that department monitored the City’s Downtown Revitalization Program on January 14, 2009. That monitoring included a review of projects (public and private), program administration, financial management and record keeping to ensure compliance with the grant agreement, the State’s CDBG Program and applicable laws and regulations. At the conclusion of this full day review, ODOD staff commended the City for its successful administration of this grant. No areas of non-compliance were noted at that time.
Stimulus List Submitted – Lorain County Community Development Department has been directed to gather list of potential stimulus projects from around the County to submit to the State later this month. The Oberlin list was submitted this week. It includes City and School District projects that could be “shovel-ready” during 2009. There has been talk of a multi-year plan in the future; if that effort is successful, other high priority City projects would make that list, for instance a future renewable electric generation project and additional improvements to roads, and our water, wastewater and storm water systems.
Over $40,000 Raised during 2008 Community Giving Campaign – The 2008 Community Giving Campaign was very successful. Representatives of the Oberlin City Schools, Oberlin College and City recently met to debrief on the campaign. Plans are in the works to expand in 2009 to include other employers and to possibly link with some special events. Special appreciation goes to the Finance Department for assisting with a more complex campaign this year. Employees could give to Oberlin Community Services, Oberlin Early Childhood Center, United Way of Greater Lorain County or Greater Cleveland Community Shares.
