U.S. 35 superstreet project: Greene commissioners float funding plan

UPDATE @ 6:45 p.m. (Sept. 22): Greene County commissioners have proposed a funding plan under which the county would pay $1 million toward the $1.5 million in local funding needed for the $15.8 superstreet project, a temporary fix to easing congesting along U.S. 35 in Beavercreek.

The proposal would have the city of Beavercreek and Beavercreek Twp. evenly splitting the remaining $500,000.

County commissioners discussed the proposal during a work session Thursday.

EARLIER REPORT (Sept. 20)

Beavercreek City Council, Beavercreek Twp. and Greene County Board of Commissioners officials all agree each jurisdiction should contribute toward the $1.5 million local match needed for the $15.8 million U.S. Route 35 superstreet project, but how much each government will chip in is still unknown.

Tuesday night, city, township and county officials met at Beavercreek City Hall to resolve the issue but the meeting ended without a financial commitment from the city.

City council members said they were concerned about contributing a third of the local match because they have already committed $900,000 to the Shakertown Road extension project.

“We’ve got a lot of skin in the game already,” City Council Vice Mayor Julie Vann said.

Beavercreek council members said they would have to confer with the three absent council members — Melissa Litteral, Brian Jarvis and Debborah Wallace — to determine how much the city could contribute to the project.

County commissioners suggested each jurisdiction pay one-third, or $500,000, of the local match. However, city and township officials have said they cannot afford the suggested three-way split.

Beavercreek Twp. Trustees Tom Kretz said the township had the ability to add a permissive tax.

“That extra permissive tax would generate $25,000 to $35,000 depending on the year,” he said. “I think we would agree to (annually) pledge that.”

Trustees would be willing to commit the permissive tax revenue for up to 10 years, Kretz said.

Local officials must agree on how to fund the local match and inform the Ohio Department of Transportation by next week to meet a deadline.

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