EDITORIAL – Next week Oxford Township and Village will be conducting public hearings to garner resident input as to how the 2004 Community Block Grant Development funds should be spent.
Taxpayers have a responsibility to attend these hearings because ultimately it’s the fate of their money that’s being decided.
The township has been allocated $39,817 and the village $13,508 in CDBG funds, which are federal monies that can only be used in low-to-moderate income areas.
According to Treasurer Joe Ferrari, the township has proposed spending its funds in the following manner – $25,000 to the “minor home repair program,” $10,817 for “home safety devices, chore services and outreach” and $4,000 to HAVEN.
For village residents, CDBG money can be used anywhere in the community, except for Oxford Lakes. In other words, the entire “old village proper” is now considered a low-to-moderate income area.
For township residents, CDBG money can only be used in the northern (to Ray Road), eastern (to Barr Road) and southern (to the township limits) areas immediately surrounding the village. The southern area extends west to Newman Road and east to Barr Road.
Although the CBDG funds are not large amounts of money – at least by government’s standards – they have the potential to do some good in the community by helping the less fortunate and making needed public improvements to enhance residents’ quality of life.
CBGD funds can be used for things like sidewalk repairs/installations, street improvements, essential home repairs for eligible people in need, Meals-on-Wheels, HAVEN, street lights and trees, etc.
These are all worthy and valuable uses for the CDBG funds, but they can’t all receive money. Township and village officials are charged with deciding who gets what and that’s where you come in because after all, it’s your money. The village’s public hearing is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11 and township’s on Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 7:45 p.m.
Let your voice be heard loud and clear.