City Council weighs cost of using grant money

Old town hall improvements By LORI WINCE Saturday October 25, 2014 8:01 PM

Pataskala City Council members disagree on what to do with a $200,000 grant from a recent state capital bill that could be used to install public restrooms and an elevator in the old town hall building at 430 S. Main St.

The Pataskala Division of Police is based on the first floor and basement and the Sterling Theater is on the second floor of the 97-year-old building, which is owned by the city.

City Council learned Oct. 20 the grant requires the city to match 50 cents for every dollar of the grant, or $100,000.

City Administrator Benjamin King said construction costs are estimated at $250,000, which doesn't include design and bidding for the project.

He said the city could use the value of the building, $100,000, as part of the match but that would not be enough to cover the project cost.

King said the state would accept the value of the building as the match if the city showed the valuation from the Licking County Auditor's Office.

However, he said, the match could not be used to pay bills to contractors. The city would need enough money from the grant to pay those bills and even more if the estimate exceeded the match.

City Councilman Bryan Lenzo said Pataskala already has paid to install a new roof on the building, secure the foundation, repair windows and improve the heating-and-cooling system.

Lenzo said at some point City Council needs to re-evaluate the use of the building because it might not be cost effective to keep the police department there.

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City Council weighs cost of using grant money