Hinckley trustees to use ARPA funding on road project

HINCKLEY TWP. — The Hinckley Township trustees passed a resolution to use part of its American Rescue Plan Act funding for a road project during the board meeting this week. The scope of the project is to replace concrete on Valley Brook Boulevard from Brook Hollow Oval to 295 Valley Brook Blvd., which is in one of the township's developments, Chairman Jack Swedyk said. During Tuesday's meeting, the trustees accepted a bid from Fabrizi Trucking and Paving to do the Valley Brook project at a cost of about $550,000, which will be paid for using the township's ARPA funds. He said construction for the project is anticipated to occur this year. Fiscal Officer Martha Catherwood said this project is the township's first use of its ARPA funding. After paying for construction on Valley Brook, Hinckley will have about $300,000 left in ARPA money to use. "I think (the ARPA funding) is going to be targeted to complete Bethany Lane," she said. "That's another concrete road project. That's in the early engineering (stage). It hasn't gone out for bid yet." Since the township is using ARPA money to fund roadwork, some of the township's fund lines will not use up all of its appropriations in 2023, she said. As a result, there will be a carryover of money because of the influx of ARPA funding. "It's just that we will have extra money," she said. "The trustees can then use that extra money for other projects that they might like to do." The trustees are coming up with a wish list of what they would like to use that extra funding for, Swedyk said. For instance, the money could be used for acquiring and installing solar panels on township buildings, such as town hall and the police station. "I like that a lot because there's payback on the back end of it," he said. "Once it's paid for, you start realizing savings on it because you're saving on the electric utility bills." Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.