news

Today, Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) held a meeting with the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works) Jo Ellen Darcy regarding the Blanchard River Flood Reduction Project (BRFRP).  Joining Congressman Latta was Representative Jordan, local elected officials and private representatives from Putnam and Hancock counties, along with staff from the offices of Representative Kaptur and Senator Portman. After the meeting, Congressman Latta issued the following statement:

“Today we had a very good dialogue with the Assistant Secretary Darcy regarding the urgency of the Blanchard River project. I believe the Assistant Secretary gained insightful knowledge as to the importance of this project and the timely completion for review of Phase I and Phase II of the project. 

“In addition to timeliness, we wanted to ensure that the Corps continues to keep the BRFRP high on their priority list. The local communities have always been, and continue to be, supportive of the project.  They have continued to provide funding for the local match of the project, and are prepared to go above and beyond the needed amount.  The BRFRP is a national example of local communities working diligently and swiftly to prevent any future damaging flooding in Ottawa or Findlay.”

After the meeting Mayor-Elect Lydia Mihalik said, “Our objective was to encourage all parties to move the plan at a faster pace and I’m confident we did just that. We, as community leaders, now have a much better understanding on how to move forward with effective funding and approval.”