BROWN TOWNSHIP — Brown Township officials are weighing how to spend a $350,000 state capital budget grant administered by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
Township trustees discussed potential uses for the funding Wednesday but held off on signing the grant agreement to give residents an opportunity to learn more about the project and provide input.
A public meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Nov. 9 at Delaware Township Hall, 5555 State Route 521. Residents can weigh in on the proposed field’s location and orientation, as well as the broader plans for the park.
Trustee Connie Skinner said she applied for $1.64 million in funding toward a much larger project that would include:
- Demolishing the east ball field and replacing it with a larger one at a new location in the park;
- Site grading and seeding a soccer field area;
- Paving a connecting drive with a parking area and a pedestrian sidewalk between the existing maintenance garage that abuts Township Hall/Brown Township Park;
- And constructing a paved trail around the park that would connect to a trail built by Henmick Farm and Brewery.
“Thank goodness we got $350,000, but it changes the whole idea of what we can do,” Skinner said. “And the first thing that we’re going to have to do is remove the small ball field and build the bigger ball field.”
Trustee Mark Fleming suggested developing a comprehensive master plan for the park and completing it in phases as funding becomes available, potentially using multiple grants to work toward a larger project costing approximately $1.6 million.
Skinner hopes to make the new ball field up to tournament standards, if funding allows.
Brown Township Fiscal Officer Heather Barrett said the project probably won’t begin until November of next year, and the grant agreement stipulates it must be finished by June 2028.
Once the trustees sign the agreement, they will next have to put out a request for qualifications (RFQ) for a company to do the bidding and then another RFQ for a contractor.
Skinner said in the future, if she applies for the grant again, she wants to ask for funding for the walking trails, a new concession stand with bathrooms and a covered pavilion.
“Dream big,” she said.
Veterans banner program
In other business, the trustees approved a joint-use pole agreement with Ohio Power Company — formerly AEP — for a veterans banner program.
The commemorative banners will hang from the electric poles and display the service member’s photo, name and branch of service.
“People can go to the Delaware County or the Morrow County Veterans Services Office and purchase a veteran’s banner for $80 or $85,” Skinner said.
The Hometown Heroes Banner Program is a county-wide initiative coordinated by the Delaware County Veterans Service Office. Powell, Sunbury, Ashley and Radnor are also participating in the program.
“Most of these towns have light poles they can put these banners on, but we don’t have light poles, we have AEP poles,” she said.
Tony Dicenzo, a distribution system inspector for Ohio Power Company, said OPC can likely provide a truck and install the flags for the township.
Skinner said there is not a definitive plan yet, but she expects once the township gets several flags submitted, Ohio Power Company staff will put them up all at once and leave them up year-round.
