Lodi seeks $1.2M in grants for flooding fix and park upgrades

LODI — Lodi Village Council is pursuing more than $1.2 million in state grant funding to address chronic downtown flooding and complete improvements in local parks. During Monday's Council meeting, Treasurer Annette Geissman said the village plans to apply for two community development block grant programs through the Ohio Department of Development. They are A $500,000 critical infrastructure request and a $750,000 neighborhood revitalization proposal.a The infrastructure grant would target a continuous stormwater problem in the downtown area, where heavy rain has repeatedly caused flooding. "I'd like to address the storm sewer through town so we can better manage flooding. We have to fix the foundation before we add anything else," President Aaron Surrarrer said. Council member Eric Double said the project will require significant investment, with the grant funding the first phase. Additional funding may be pursued to complete the work if necessary. The village is also preparing a $750,000 neighborhood revitalization application that would bundle many projects into one request. The discussed proposals include replacing the pavilion at Community Park with an enclosed facility, installing a splash pad, adding restrooms at Richman Field, repaving park drives and sidewalks, and a riverside walkway and patio area. Completing the projects would benefit residents and downtown businesses by reducing damage from heavy rain, Surrarrer said. Project details and cost estimates need to be finalized before the summer application deadline, Mayor Robert Geissman said. "We need to come up with $750,000 to $800,000 worth of things we want and put that together as one project," he said. Council members support pursuing both grants to complete the needed improvements without stretching the village budget. Contact reporter Sam Russ at (330) 491-6962 or sruss@medina-gazette.com.