Governor Justice visits Oak Hill to award city with $4.5 million grant

OAK HILL, WV (WOAY) – Governor Jim Justice made a stop at four different cities to award 18 grants for various projects. One stop was at the Lively Amphitheater in Oak Hill. There he awarded the cities of Oak Hill and Hinton more than $4 million each.

Oak Hill’s award is a community block grant totaling $4.5 million. It’s specifically for the town of Minden to deal with their storm water drainage issues.

“We’re excited to death,” Oak Hill City Manager Bill Hannabass said. “I appreciate the governor, the HUD, Region 4 Development Council and everyone who has assisted with the funding. We’re ready to go to work and make a difference.”

The other award went to Hinton and totals $4.3 million. They will use it to upgrade their sanitation system and water runoff.

Currently, their system combines the two which can cause problems during heavy rain. The city has been working to raise the funds to change their water system for years. 

“This will be a long-term project<” Mayor of Hinton Jack Scott said. “We’re in our fifth year on the first project, which was a little over $4.5 million. And this one comes in at $4.3 million, and they gave us all the money for that. So that’s pretty remarkable.” 

These grants come from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. They are all designated for hazard mitigation.

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