Portage County commissioners on July 17 authorized regional planning to submit a Community Development Block Grant pre-application to install a commercial chairlift at the Freedom Township Historical Society schoolhouse, 7276 State Route 303.

The item drew brief discussion from regional planning staff about the reason for the request: the building currently has an outdoors residential chairlift that the building department identified as noncompliant for the public use. "It is apparently a residential chairlift and not a commercial chairlift," the presenter said, and the requested budget includes equipment and architectural services.

Regional planning requested $66,928 for the chairlift and related architectural work and an additional $6,692 (10 percent) for administration. The presenter described the application as a flexible CDBG grant similar to a prior award that funded ADA restroom work for Nelson Township.

Commissioners approved a motion granting regional planning permission to submit the pre-application; the motion passed on a roll call vote with the commissioners present recorded as voting yes.

The approval was for permission to submit the pre-application only. No final grant award, contract, or construction decision was made at the meeting; those steps would require later approvals if the project advances.

Staff said the lift would allow access to the building basement where the historical society stores artifacts and holds occasional public events. The presenter noted the building department citation but did not provide a firm construction timeline or a final contractor selection.

The application amount, as presented, bundles equipment, installation and related architectural services but meeting discussion did not specify which vendor would perform installation or an exact project schedule. If the grant moves forward and is awarded, further county approvals and project details would be expected.