Grant funding sought for wetlands development

Representatives from the Blanchard River Watershed Partnership met with the Hancock County Board of Commissioners on Thursday to discuss the development of wetlands in the area. Partnership coordinator Lauren Sandhu and her colleague, Bill Doyle, said they will work with the national environmental organization The Nature Conservancy to file a grant application for wetlands development along Township Road 89. They said the almost 7-acre area near County Road 140 sits across from about 15 acres of wetlands that were developed in 2019. The proposed area is county-owned along the Blanchard River. Plans are for dead trees to be removed and grass to be planted in the area. No new trees would be planted, unlike the existing area across the road. Funds are available through the Great Lakes Sediment and Reduction Program to reduce runoff into the river. Sandhu said the deadline for submitting the application is April 16 and, if approved, the group would have three years to complete the work. The cost is estimated at $50,000 to $100,000, she said, based on about $200,000 having been spent across the road. But, she pointed out, the larger area included extensive tree planting, too. The grant requires a 25% match, which may be covered by volunteer hours and through donations. If approved, the partnership should be notified by July, and work could start as early as October, she said. The project would be completed by Sept. 30, 2024. Hancock Soil and Water Conservation District and the county engineer's office will be notified about the project, as engineering, design and construction will be required. Hull and Associates, a Toledo environmental consultant, handled the existing project across from the proposed new site. Sandhu said Stantec engineering, which is handling the flood-reduction design efforts for the county, and Mannik and Smith, an engineering consultant out of Maumee, will also be contacted about the project. Any excavation done in the area will allow dirt removed from the property to be moved onto nearby county-owned farmland behind buildings on County Road 140. Sandhu said this will save costs, since the dirt won't have to be trucked far. The proposed site along the river usually floods, but soybeans planted on the property were harvested last year. The commissioners unanimously agreed to provide a letter of support and said other letters will be sought, including from the city of Findlay. Separately, the commissioners approved a contract with Charles Beagle Electric for installation of LED interior and exterior lights at a county-owned building near the landfill. The contract is for $4,200. The company has previously done work at county buildings. Maurer: 419-427-8420