Recreation Funding Through CARES Act a Future Plan By ALAN OLSON Staff Writer Local municipalities are constantly eyeing new improvements to their parks, playgrounds and pools, and are hoping to use funding from the CARES Act to make it happen. Benwood has always taken pride in its recreational service to the community, with its pool a longtime summer hotspot for locals. Renovations to the pool were completed last year, and mayor Walter Yates said work to the municipal park is aimed at finishing up this summer; with the miniature golf course no longer in place, Yates says the city is looking to install a stage and screen for movie showings, plant fresh grass to complement the flowers, and, maybe, live music. “We took the golf course out, and we’re looking to put up a stage, level the ground out, plant grass where our beautiful flag is, and maybe show movies or if we have a band that wants to come play for us,” he said. “People may even want to come by and have some weddings. It’ll be real nice, for the whole community.” The pool renovations alone were reported as coming with a price tag of nearly $1.7 million. How-
Funding ∫ Municipalities didn’t realize it at the start, but they were able to use CARES Act funds to fortify their recreational activities, and did so once they learned of it. ∫ Much of those funds were used to stock up on sanitation supplies, everything from plastic barriers at pools to a John Deere Gator to safely haul trash. ∫ Now that they’re cleared to use the funding as they wish, municipalities are making it a future goal to use it wisely. ever, Yates said Benwood was only informed as recently as early February that the CARES Act funding could go to recreational activities, and that Benwood stands to get around $800,000 back from the state. “I do believe we’re close to $800,000,” Yates said. “There was a lot of work — you have to count everything, all the supplies, what went into the police department. We’re still doing pretty well, our (Business and occupation) taxes are down a bit, but we’re still hanging in there, and hopefully we get a new budget going starting July.”
Across the river in St. Clairsville, Parks and Recreation Director Sean Hanley said the CARES Act funding has gone largely to safety improvements. Chief among them, he said, was a John Deere Gator UTV — “basically a golf cart on steroids” — which provides a better means to move trash away from the Central Park Amphitheater. “That was, I believe, what funded our Gator, which will help us transport trash from our Amphitheater and other areas around our building to the Dumpster, without actually having to put the bio-
Photo by Joselyn King
The Benwood Pool is one of the prides of Marshall County, and Benwood plans to use CARES Act funding to better improve other parts of the municipal park.
hazard trash in the back of my vehicle, which I was having to do for the longest time,” Hanley said. “We also were able to get an eight-camera surveillance system for the building, down at the playground area, as well as at the Amphitheater,” he added. In addition to the technological upgrades and utility vehicle, Hanley said the city, like many, went all-in on using the CARES Act funding to procure sanitation supplies. “We were a big ben-
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eficiary of that, since we have so many people coming in,” he said. “We’ve got hundreds of pairs of rubber gloves. I’ve got sanitizer coming out my ears. All kidneys of bleach and other cleaning supplies. It’s benefitted us, for sure.” Moundsville reported a similar situation to Benwood, as it wasn’t until January when Moundsville City Manager Rick Healy said the city was fully aware that they were able to use the CARES Act funding for that purpose. “We actually have not utilized any of ours, yet,” Healy said in mid-February. “We’ve been fortunate enough that we’ve been able to put ours in a CARES Act line item of the budget, that the state auditor’s office set up for the money, and it’s kind of just sitting there.” Healy said the lack of utilization of the funds was out of an abundance of caution, not wanting to misapply the funds and cause issues down the line. “There was guidance to do that from the auditor’s office that was de-
layed for a long time, we couldn’t seem to get any good answers. We got the information from the Municipal League in January, or late December, that told us it was general fund reimbursement and could be used as any general fund money could be.” Healy said the city council would move forward, armed with a better idea of how to utilize the funding, but as of February, no action had been taken on that front. The City of Wheeling has put some of the CARES Act funding to use already, though, putting the funding toward better safety features for guests during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We used CARES act funding to purchase thermometers for screenings of employees and guests at our pools and the Nelson Jordan Center. With the funding we were also able to install plastic barriers at the entrances to the pools along with purchasing additional cleaning and disinfecting supplies,” said Rochelle Berry, director of parks and recreation.
Groups Provide Guidance to Businesses Seeking Help By JOSELYN KING Staff Writer Many small businesses struggling through the past year are in need of a little jolt from a “cup of Joe” to help them maneuver a new path into a postCOVID future. The St. Clairsville Chamber of Commerce sponsors “Coffee and Connections” events to bring their members together each month at the St. Clairsville Eagles. It’s a time for them to meet together and share information about what is working out at their business —and what isn’t — during recent trying times. It’s just the beginning of opportunities the St. Clairsville Chamber is providing its members, according to Director Wendy Anderson. “We could have sat on our hands and given the excuse, ‘The pandemic is just killing us right now. We are just going to have to wait,’” she said. “But we don’t wait... If we want to do something, we just do it.” The chamber is working with entities such as the Belmont County Community Improvement Council and Ohio University Eastern to pro-
Business Help ∫ Local businesses are finding new ways to market products, either online or alternatives to in-store traffic, as they navigate the COVID and post-COVID world. ∫ Groups are offering small business owners business education opportunities to show those owners the best strategies for them. ∫ Organizations like Wheeling Heritage are offering grants for small businesses who have plans in place for post-pandemic survival.
Photo provided
Sidewalk sales on warm summer days bring out customers in downtown St. Clairsville.
mote business education classes to business owners wanting them. This learning is especially helpful to new business owners, Anderson said. The classes help them determine whether their strategy is good when they enter a market, or if their financing is going to be enough.
There have been several small businesses to open in St. Clairsville during the pandemic, and they have received assistance from the chamber, according to Anderson. “Whatever they are selling, we market that for them,” she said. “We help them with ribbon cuttings, and give them
contacts with other businesses. If they are asking questions, maybe someone can mentor them. “COVID has been a deterrent for a lot of people,” Anderson said. “It has been something they have to get through to the other side of COVID.” She said she works with the Ohio Attorney
General’s Office to get any pertinent information to member businesses that they need. “If we have a small business that is struggling, we can also point them in the right direction,” Anderson said. Businesses are being encouraged to take advantage of alternatives to in-store traffic. This can include placing their goods online for sale, or offering curb-side pickup to customers. “They are taking advantage of all the opportunities available to their business, and making it stronger,” Anderson said. The chamber spon-
sored “Food Truck Fridays” each week last summer, bringing traffic to the courthouse plaza each week. Downtown St. Clairsville businesses opened up and had specials during that time. There were added attractions on the plaza — such as performances by the St Clairsville High School band, and demonstrations by a yoga studio. “Food Truck Fridays” will start up again in May, and will be joined by “Second Saturdays” events, she said. (Please see GUIDANCE, Page 5)