Commissioners approve $250K for Valor Home project

Disagreements over process brought forth a heated debate

Lorain County commissioners approved $250,000 in funding for the Lorain Valor Home on March 17 to help finish a construction project, but disagreements over the process brought forth heated debate.

The commissioners set aside $2.8 million for veterans services in the county’s 2021 general fund operating budget

with $250,000 to help finish the construction of 12 new units on West 21st Street in Lorain.

Due to skyrocketing construction costs because of the novel coronavirus pandemic, the $1.1 million project experienced shortfalls and was at risk of being left incomplete if the commissioners did not step in.

“Because of COVID, material costs have skyrocketed,” said Lorain County Administrator Tom Williams. “Now, unfortunately, they didn’t know this and they didn’t lock into an agreement at that time in order to go through and do it.

“So, the revenue that you would be giving them, is actually to cover the cost because if they didn’t have COVID, they would have the money to go through and actually do the program on them on their own. But, because of that, in driving up the cost of the material and the costs of getting contractors and that, this is where they’re having that shortfall.”

Commissioner Matt Lundy unsuccessfully proposed an amendment to the proposal asking the board to also restore $4.6 million in funding to Lorain County organizations rescinded by the board Jan. 13.

Lundy argued the Valor Home, 221 W. 21st St., proposal was using general fund dollars, a move the board previously opposed.

“I guess the issue that I would like to address is more along the funding coming from general funds,” he said. “General funds, it’s been a popular topic of conversation since the new board was seated, indicating these general funds should not be used to support the pandemic relief grants that were approved by the previous board.

“So, my feeling is that, as I said, I’m in total support of this today, and will be voting for it. But with that said, there are organizations out there that would have received general fund dollars on the pandemic relief grants, and I believe that that broken promise should be revisited and fulfilled.”

Commissioner David J. Moore said he believes the Valor Home expansion could become a model across Ohio in helping veterans in placing full amenities in each unit.

However, Moore said he would not have supported the measure if an accompanying measure to rescind the Veterans Services Fund created by the previous board of commissioners Dec. 9.

Lundy said he believed $300,000 left over from the Veterans Services Fund was re-allocated toward the Valor Home project, a move he called irresponsible and unethical.

He retracted his “unethical” comment after protests from Moore, in the spirit of having civil conversation.

Lundy said it was the wrong thing to do and as a board, and the board should not break promises to veterans.

The commissioners voted 2-1 to rescind the Veterans Services Fund with Lundy dissenting.

Board President Michelle Hung said in the course of conversations with multiple attorneys and public officials, the framework for the Veterans Services Fund was uncommon in the state of Ohio.

Hung listed several nearby counties that do not allow this.

“Due diligence was performed on behalf of the taxpayers with regard to this issue,” she said. “The resounding message from all of them is that this is an uncommon practice in the state of Ohio.

“There were several of them that we spoke to that used very strong language regarding their opinion on this and the abuse that could happen if the fund was improperly managed.”

Responding to Hung, Lundy said, “it’s almost insulting the credibility of the (Lorain) Veterans Services Board by insinuating they might not use the dollars properly or recklessly in some way, because they’ve always acted responsibly and effectively for the veterans in the community.”

“Due diligence was performed on behalf of the taxpayers with regard to this issue.” — Board president Michelle Hung