Rep. Sykes Secures $14,948,783 For Local Community Projects In Ohio’s 13th Congressional District
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rep. Emilia Sykes (OH-13) announced she has secured $14,948,783 in Community Project Funding for Ohio’s 13th District in the 2024 spending bill signed into law by President Biden Saturday. This funding, included in the first of the appropriations government funding packages, responds directly to some of the most pressing needs in Northeast Ohio.
“I’m proud to deliver more than $14.9 million in Community Project Funding that I know will improve the lives of people in Ohio’s 13th Congressional District,” said Rep. Sykes. “These innovative projects will transform our communities, ensuring Northeast Ohioans have clean water to drink, safer communities to live in, and more opportunities to thrive. I am incredibly thankful to all the dedicated community groups across our district that provided requests to make a difference for our working people and families. Together, we’re making Ohio’s 13th District the best place to live, work, retire, and raise a family.”
The $14,948,783 will be used to help fund 12 projects that will directly benefit Ohio’s 13th District residents. These projects include:
City of Hudson for Nicholson Drive Water Transmission Line Project: $959,752
- The City of Hudson will use this funding to connect two major transmission mains within the City water system, improving the quality of residents' drinking water, providing increased fire protection, and connecting nearby residents currently without access to the City's water system.
“This project will connect two major water transmission lines, delivering several key benefits, including improving access to cleaner, more reliable drinking water. Residents currently without access to city water will now be connected to the public water system, ensuring a safe and reliable water source for their homes. The increased water pressure will improve fire response capabilities, keeping our families and property safer. And by providing reliable and robust water infrastructure, the project will attract new businesses and retain existing ones, creating jobs and boosting our local economy in northern Summit County,” said Thomas J. Sheridan, Hudson City Manager.
City of New Franklin for Water and Sewer Project: $959,752
- The City of New Franklin will use this funding to extend sewer and water from existing systems in the city approximately one mile to the Portage Lakes State Park, a 411-acre ODNR facility within New Franklin, and bring sewer and water to St. Luke Lutheran Home (a 71-bed senior center), the New Franklin Tudor House Events Center, and the adjoining lakefront/lakeside neighborhoods. All these facilities and entities are currently serviced by well and septic, with eventual discharge of effluent to the Portage Lakes. The funding will provide clean, safe public drinking water that will improve the quality of life for visitors, the residents of the St. Luke Community, and will improve and preserve the water quality of the Portage Lakes.
"This funding is critical to the extension of the sewer to the planned $4M ODNR Visitors' Center at Portage Lakes State Park in our city, without which the Center will not be built. The Center will serve the Greater Akron community as well as New Franklin, and will also be a catalyst for future commercial and residential development. We are most grateful for this much needed assistance!" said Paul Adamson, Mayor of New Franklin.
City of North Canton for Arrowhead Water Well Project: $500,000
- The City of North Canton will use this funding to establish an additional water source with lower chloride levels to combine with output from the North Canton PWS' existing wells, in order to stabilize overall chloride levels in the water supply, and comply with Ohio EPA regulations. This funding will provide residents of North Canton with access to safe drinking water with significantly reduced risk of chemical contamination.
“We are ecstatic to receive news of this $500,000 federal funding award in support of our Arrowhead Water Well Project. This project will be essential to maintaining a clean drinking water supply throughout our North Canton Public Water System and upholding our high standards of water service to tens of thousands of people for generations to come. On behalf of City leadership and the community we serve, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Congresswoman Sykes and her staff for their dedication and support of this critical initiative,” said Stephan B. Wilder, Mayor of the City of North Canton.
Community Crime Prevention and Youth Engagement Initiative: $956,000
- The Akron Urban League will use this funding to promote alternatives to violence for at-risk youth through mentoring and life skills coaching, community leadership activities, and workforce development programming that will facilitate the finding, maintaining, and securing of employment opportunities. This funding will decrease the crime in vulnerable communities and keep our communities and law enforcement engaged and safer, which studies have shown will decrease incarceration rates and state and federal justice system expenditures.
“Akron Urban League is thrilled to partner with Congresswoman Sykes on a critical expansion of our recidivism prevention and education outreach programming. This remarkable investment will be essential in providing record expungement, access to health and mental health services, and social service referrals. These barrier removals will disrupt the ‘school-to-prison pipeline’ and elevate historically marginalized youth towards opportunities for higher education, upskilling, apprenticeships, and credentialed trainings. For almost 100 years, AUL workforce development programs have served adults in our community, and now thanks to this historic legislation, we can also be a key change maker for those impacted by the juvenile criminal justice system,” said Akron Urban League President & CEO Teresa LeGrair.
East Tuscarawas Street Streetscape in Canton: $2,190,000
- The City of Canton will use this funding to reshape East Tuscarawas St. to improve driver and pedestrian safety by reducing the width of the roadway at pedestrian crossing areas. The project will help facilitate the rehabilitation of the eastern gateway into downtown Canton.
“This is an exciting project that will allow us to improve the connectivity of important downtown resources to adjacent neighborhoods through improved multimodal transportation initiatives. It will also help beautify an area of the City that is long overdue for investment,” said City of Canton Mayor William V. Sherer II.
Girl Scouts of North East Ohio's STEM Center of Excellence: $850,000
- The Girl Scouts of North East Ohio (GSNEO) will use this funding to supplement state, local, and private funding for their 7,755 square foot STEM Center, which will serve thousands of students in surrounding communities as well as all 18,000 of GSNEO's girl members. The facility will include classrooms, a multipurpose room, a wet lab, a maker space/workshop, a tech space, an outdoor classroom, and a rain garden.
“We are so thankful for Congresswoman Emilia Sykes’ support of Girl Scouts of North East Ohio’s (GSNEO) STEM Center of Excellence. With her support, she has ensured that this transformational project will move forward to completion,” said GSNEO Chief Executive Officer Jane Christyson. “This 8,000 square foot facility will not only serve more than 18,000 Girl Scouts in Northeast Ohio, but it will also host field trips for area school children. This enables GSNEO to do its part to inspire more youth to explore STEM careers as well as help develop the STEM talent pipeline in our region.”
Lake Anna Park Revitalization Project: $1,000,000
- The City of Barberton will use this funding to construct a new Community Center in the City's Lake Anna Park. In addition to serving as a hub for outdoor recreational opportunities and activities, the project will further connect this vital community resource to the nearby north-south Towpath Trail, and develop east-west Silver Creek Trail, thereby connecting local neighborhoods and neighboring cities into the heart of the city.
“Support for the revitalization of Lake Anna Park helps make necessary upgrades to this gem in our downtown. Lake Anna Park is an integral piece to Barberton’s downtown and is the home of many activities and festivals throughout the year. I appreciate the support and efforts by Congresswoman Sykes in securing this funding for the City of Barberton and Lake Anna Park,” said William B. Judge, Mayor of Barberton.
Polymer Research, Development, Production Facility: $1,050,000
- The University of Akron will use this funding to establish a manufacturing incubator for new materials and house a polymerization scale-up laboratory, product prototyping laboratory, wet-chemistry lab, and space for testing and characterization of polymer and advanced materials. This funding will help create 1,200 jobs in the city of Akron and help accelerate Akron's robust polymer industry, which contributes billions to the region's tax base annually.
“The University of Akron is very pleased to have the support of Rep. Emilia Sykes and other elected officials for approval of $1,050,000 in funding to be used for the construction of a new Polymer Research, Development and Production Facility. The University of Akron, in collaboration with Northeast Ohio industry partners, will utilize this facility to create and test new innovative polymer materials which, when approved for product use, will have a direct economic impact for area businesses and the residents of their communities,” said Dr. Suzanne Bausch, Vice President for Research and Business Engagement, Dean of the Graduate School at The University of Akron.
Summit and Stark County Local Law Enforcement Assistance Program: $963,000
- The Summit County Sheriff's Office will use this funding for the acquisition of police cruisers for law enforcement entities within Ohio's Thirteenth Congressional District for use during routine police patrol and response within their respective jurisdictions. This funding will provide crucial support for smaller police departments that, at times, struggle to provide their officers with modern vehicles that increase their safety and their ability to protect and serve their communities.
“We’re happy to have partnered with Congresswoman Sykes on this project,” said Summit County Sheriff Kandy Fatheree. “This $963,000 will be used to purchase police vehicles for the Summit County Sheriff’s Office, Stark County Sheriff's Office, Canton Police Department, and multiple other law enforcement agencies within Stark and Summit Counties. Police vehicles are costly, and this award will provide much-needed financial relief and support for local law enforcement.”
Summit County High Level Bridge: $4,116,279
- Summit County will use this funding to facilitate construction of a new, high level bridge between Cuyahoga Falls, OH and Akron, OH. It will allow Summit County and the Ohio Department of Transportation to replace a fracture-critical, 80-year-old bridge already set to be decommissioned while maintaining critical connections between the two cities.
“Summit County is grateful for the steadfast commitment Representative Sykes has shown this community since taking office. The nearly $15 million in federal funding she secured for us will support critical projects that position Summit County and its 540,000 residents for a bright future. We look forward to continuing to work with Representative Sykes to bring even more investment to Ohio’s 13th District,” said Ilene Shapiro, Summit County Executive.
“The additional $4,116,279 in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 for the planning and design of the High Level Bridge Replacement Project closes a critical funding gap for this infrastructure project in Summit County. The High Level Bridge connects communities and businesses in Summit County’s two biggest cities and it is essential that this connection remains. We are so grateful to Congresswoman Sykes and Senator Brown for championing this project through the legislative process. Local governments simply do not have the money for such large bridge projects and we would not have been able to begin the replacement process without the help from our federal partners,” said Alan Brubaker, Summit County Engineer.
Village of Silver Lake for Sewer Separation Project: $904,000
- The Village of Silver Lake will use this funding to construct approximately 1,750 linear feet of new sanitary sewer and closure of the overflow into Silver Lake. The project will protect Silver Lake from the elevated discharge of chemicals it is currently experiencing, including nihates, phosphates, and other chemicals that are detrimental to that vicinity's water quality.
“This funding will allow the Village of Silver Lake to separate its last remaining combined sewer and stormwater line. This means a better infrastructure, cleaner outflows to Silver Lake and the Cuyahoga River, and a healthier community. These are important issues to our Village, and we are deeply grateful to Rep. Sykes for her leadership and advocacy on this appropriations measure,” said Therese Dunphy, Mayor of the Village of Silver Lake.
West High Pressure District Elevated Water Storage Tank Project: $500,000
- The City of Canal Fulton will use this funding to construct a new water tower and connect that tower to existing water lines, providing clean drinking water to approximately 30 existing homes that currently cannot tap into their current system.
“Thank you to Congresswoman Sykes for her outstanding efforts to bring Federal funding to the City of Canal Fulton. The $500,000 grant will not only lower our cost for the water tower project by that amount, but will also save us the added interest charges for borrowing that money. Thank you so much. We are so blessed to have Congresswoman Sykes working on our behalf,” said Joe Schultz, Mayor of Canal Fulton.