Delaware County has been granted $264,000 in federal block-grant funds from the Ohio Development Services Agency in Columbus and is seeking projects to fund.

The state receives $40 million in Community Development Block Grant funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The state then distributes the funds to eligible communities, according to Jenna Jackson, the county’s economic development coordinator.

The funds were allocated to the state of Ohio by HUD for community improvement projects.

Jackson opened a public hearing on Monday at the end of county commissioners’ meeting to hear project proposals for the Community Development Block Grant Program.

Funds from the grant can be used to improve sewers or parks, for the demolition of unsafe structures, for city street improvements and facilities, for the rehabilitation of housing and the elimination of blight, according to a list Jackson read to commissioners. “All projects must benefit low- to moderate-income persons,” Jackson said.

Galena village administrator Jeanna Burrell approached commissioners to submit an application for funds to install sidewalks on the village’s North Walnut Street. “There’s an area on the north end where there are no sidewalks and there are a lot of places in the village that don’t have sidewalks or they are in bad shape,” Burrell said.

Burrell’s request was the only one heard by commissioners Monday.

“I’ve requested the community to submit applications to the county by May 8 to give us time to make sure their projects would qualify under the Community Development Block Grant terms,” Jackson said. “People can submit their applications to me or Megan Edwards.”

A second public hearing has been scheduled for June 2 to announce proposal awards.

In other business, commissioners:

• Declared the necessity of a new road from Cheshire Road to Berlin Station Road to help with traffic at the planned fourth Olentangy School District high school.

• Donated road maintenance equipment to the Delaware County Agricultural Society.

• Approved a transfer of funds to the Delaware County Job And Family Services.

• Certified delinquent sewer accounts to the county auditor’s office for accounts to be assessed to 2017 taxes.

• Approved a sanitary sewer improvement plan for Vinmar Village, Section 2.

• Accepted sanitary sewer improvements for Harvest Point.