By MARK TODD - Staff Writer - mtodd@starbeacon.com
CONNEAUT — Odds are dwindling that the city of Conneaut will receive any federal money to replace its 134-year-old City Hall fire station.
For months, the city has waited to hear if its application to a federal program for fire station construction money was successful. Instead, Conneaut has watched other communities receive the funding it coveted.
The latest blow came last month, when Olmsted Township Fire Department learned it would receive $1.95 million in fire station construction grant money. It’s believed Olmsted Township was the only community to get the money in Ohio.
It could also be the last. Deborah Setliff, communications director for U.S. Rep. Steve LaTourette, said she believes funding has now been exhausted for the fire station construction, program, although the congressman hasn’t received formal notification.
“They haven’t told us,” Setliff said.
Jon Arcaro, Conneaut’s public safety director, said he was told to consider the program intact until told otherwise. “Until I get a letter saying it’s done and over,” he said.
Still, Arcaro’s optimism is fading. Last year, the city felt it easily met the criteria for the grant. Fire Station 1, one of two stations in the department, is housed in a portion of Conneaut’s original City Hall built in 1876. That section of the building is plagued with building code violations.
The federal program specifically mentions “construction, renovation or modification” are key components of the program.
Administrators, therefore, were stunned to learn late last year that Conneaut had been passed over. Hope was buoyed again in early January, when Conneaut was somehow led to believe its chances had picked up steam.
Olmsted Township dashed that dream, however.
Arcaro won’t concede until the program cancellation letter is received, but is optimism is fading. “I don’t know what more we can do,” he said.
