SAVANNAH — The Ashland County commissioners have hired a contractor to repair sidewalks in the village of Savannah.
Rising Son Company’s bid — the contractor approved for the project — came in at $109,489.60.
The project will be completed thanks to grant funding through the Ohio Department of Development’s Community Development Block grant (CDBG) program.
The grant the project received totaled $135,000, and the extra funds will go toward fixing more sidewalks in Savannah.
According to the county’s website, the CDBG program aims “to develop viable communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment.”
Tom Kruse, the mayor of the village of Savannah, said it was “great” to receive the grant money for the sidewalk project.
“The wonderful thing about grants like this is that for many villages — and even Ashland’s received these grants — it provides an opportunity for communities to do things communities can’t afford to do themselves,” Kruse said.
“So, it’s a great funding program through the state to make improvements, and in this case, to make Ohio a much better, community-centered state.”
Where will there be repairs?
Kruse has served as mayor of Savannah for 27 years, and has lived in the village for 45 years. For much of that time, he said, the village’s sidewalks have been “unwalkable.”
Kruse said the village repaired some sidewalks with CDBG funds eight years ago, but didn’t get to the worst ones.
When he ran for re-election as Savannah’s mayor in 2023, Kruse listed the project to repair the village’s sidewalks as his top priority.
Kruse said the grant the village just received will repair a little over a half mile of sidewalk.
Most of the repairs will take place on Savannah’s Main Street, with a few other city blocks receiving some attention as well. Kruse named Scott Street, in specific, as another block that will receive repairs.
The full list of streets receiving repairs are highlighted on page 21 of the bid packet.
The project could start as soon as the first week of May, and wrap up by the end of that month, according to Kruse.
In his view, making Savannah more walkable helps make the community better.
“When people are out walking, people are more prone to interact with one another,” Kruse said.
“It serves a good connection between different residents in the village… It’s great. People are getting out and exercising, kids are out playing more and people are communicating as different residents of the village.”
