MOUNT VERNON — The city’s approaching application for money to clean up the American National Can site may be the last opportunity to apply for CleanOhio funds.
Mayor Richard Mavis said that at a “Project Resource and Advisory Meeting” Tuesday between city officials and representatives of the Ohio Department of Development, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and Burgess and Niple, the consulting firm preparing the application, the city was informed this will be the last round of CleanOhio funding. The program is out of money and there is no indication the legislature will authorize more anytime soon.
“This is not good news for cities trying to clean up derelict sites,” Mavis said. “It makes it more important than ever for us to get all the points we can get on the application.”
He added that the meeting gave them a chance to share the quality of the project with the state officials and to get hints on ways to get extra points.
“Often one point can make a difference,” Mavis said. “Before this we always felt that if we didn’t get funding we could try again with an improved application.”
If the project is funded, there will be a contract by July and a contractor can be hired to start the project.
The city must submit the application by Jan. 20. Pechoney, the company which owns the site, is paying the application fee and providing the local matching funds for the project.
