SHERROD BROWN
MARTINS FERRY U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown introduced legislation he hopes will provide direct relief to communities that have lost revenue during the COVID-19 pandemic.
During a press conference held via telephone Wednesday, Brown, D-Ohio, said his proposed Direct Support for Communities Act would give money directly to cities, townships, villages and counties with budgets that are struggling because of the pandemic.
Brown said the act coincides with President Joe Biden’s new American Rescue Plan that includes $350 billion in state and local funding.
Brown said he does not yet know the exact allocations his bill would provide for local governments, but a formula based on population would be used. He noted 70 percent would go to cities, townships, villages and counties and the rest to states.
Times Leader Staff Writer
ST. CLAIRSVILLE Large-scale water and sewer upgrades are expected to begin next year in Belmont County, with a lower interest rate than was first expected, but the process of acquiring property or easements continues using eminent domain in some cases.
The commissioners finalized paperwork Wednesday to lock in the interest rate on a 40-year water improvement loan at 1.25 percent.
“We’ve been a little bit slow getting to this point. One of the benefits is that the rates were changing during that time and we ended up being able to lock in a lower rate than we would have been earlier,” Belmont County Commissioner J.P. Dutton said.