NW Ohio Times

State Senator Theresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green) announced the investment of millions of dollars from the One-Time Strategic Community Investment Fund (OTSCIF) to support projects that will benefit local communities and residents for years to come.

"The projects receiving these one-time dollars will make a real difference in our communities in a variety of ways," Gavarone said. "These funds will have such an amazing impact on countless lives. This is a great day for Northwest Ohio and is just the start of our capital budget rollout."

The following are some of the projects awarded funding:

- Lakewoods Campus Upgrades and Senior Safety Solutions (Lucas County): Funds will support building a new community center and safety upgrades at this new affordable housing development for older adults.

- Northwest Ohio Water Quality Improvement/Cold Creek Foundation (Erie County): Funds will allow Cold Creek Foundation to implement major water quality improvements, ensuring thousands of residents in the western basin of Lake Erie have access to clean water.

- Positive Community Connections Center (Wood County): These funds will help renovate and create new space for Wood Lane Residential Services to serve area residents with developmental and behavioral disabilities. The updated spaces, including a library, business center, and classrooms, will provide more educational and training opportunities.

- Ottawa County Workforce Hub: Funds will help renovate and modernize the training facility to give students and adults access to up-to-date technology for earning credentials in advanced manufacturing, healthcare, hospitality, and tourism.

- The Feichtner Memorial Building (Huron County): Awarded funds will support constructing a new livestock and community facility at the fairgrounds.

The funding for these projects came from a unique one-time fund established under the state's current operating budget, House Bill 33, passed by the Ohio General Assembly in June 2023. The OTSCIF set aside $700 million as an additional source of funding allowing communities and organizations to apply for help with projects that might not qualify as part of the state's traditional Capital Budget that happens every two years.

Each chamber developed a plan for $350 million of the total amount while coordinating good faith negotiations to determine projects for the OTSCIF. The Senate Finance Committee will begin hearings on the bill addressing OTSCIF funding immediately.

For more information on specific projects in senators’ districts or updates as the Capital Budget advances through the General Assembly, follow On The Record.