Ripley is making progress on securing funds for a new concrete boat dock at Freedom Park Landing.

Ripley Economic Development began plans on the Ripely Freedom Park Landing Project more than two years ago, and the Village of Ripley was hopeful that it would get approved for funds from the state’s biennial capital budget distribution. But after being notified that all funds from the capital budget distribution would go toward battling the COVID pandemic, it was unlikely that Ripley would receive any capital budget grant funds for its boat dock project.

It was at the beginning of the year that Ripley was notified that it will receive $425,000 from the state’s biennial capital budget to help construct a new boat dock. Well shy of what they applied for, but still very helpful toward constructing a new boat dock, a project that was estimated at $1.5mill in 2019 based on plans by K-4 Architecture and Design. The cost of the entire project has most likely increased since 2019, so village officials are expecting they will need more than $1.5mill to complete the project.

The new concrete boat dock would include a new launch ramp, a permanent dock for pleasure boats 100-feet in length, and a step-up to a permanent dock spanning 200-feet for River tour boats. Once the dock is built, future plans may include additional dock space for especially long vessels such as European style longboats.

“The Ripley Freedom Landing Project will be executed with three components. All will be executed simultaneously. Components one and two will be site preparation which includes construction of an access road and replacement of a damaged launch ramp. Component 3 is the construction of a 300-foot landing that will accommodate weekend boaters as well as passenger liners such as the Delta Queen and American Steamships,” it states in the River Freedom Landing Project proposal.

“At this time, our vision for river tourism cannot be realized because Ripley currently has a limited/damaged launch ramp and no free full day or overnight docking facility. There is no capacity for docking large pleasure craft or commercial excursion boats (such as the Delta Queen or B&B Riverboats). Other ramps in the area are not free to the public and are closed in winter months. A landing at Ripley (component 3 of the project) would be the only Ohio docking facility for large tour boats between Cincinnati and South Point. It becomes a gateway to southern Ohio river counties.”

Jane Zachman is a member of local organizations that aim to improve Ripley’s economy, a long-time Ripley resident, and retired educator who has been very active in the boat dock project since the plans began. Zachman appeared at the Village of Ripley’s Jan. 26 regular council meeting, representing the village administrator, to present council members with an ordinance that will allow the village to apply for additional grant funds to cover the boat dock project.

“There is a grant out there, and it’s up to council to decide if you want to apply for that grant,” Zachman said to council members.

When presenting the ordinance to council, Zachman said the grant was a reimbursement grant, which means that the village will have to pay for what portions of the project that grant would cover and then be reimbursed for what was spent by the village.

But at the recommendation of the village solicitor, council decided not to carry out a motion to approve the ordinance until more details were provided on the grant such as the terms of the reimbursement, a total cost estimate, and a timeline.

“We need to get our ducks in a row first,” said council member David Poole.

The Ripley Bee and News Democrat followed up with Zachman after the Jan. 26 meeting, and by then she had received more details on the additional grant funds. Zachman found that one-third of the grant funds can be requested upfront for the project, and more funds from the grant can be petitioned for as the project carries on and more costs are incurred.

“These are details I did not know at the meeting,” explained Zachman.

With the grant application deadline quickly approaching, there isn’t much time to waste.

“There are surveys and a lot of technical stuff to do before construction even begins,” said Zachman.

In other news, Ripley Mayor Dallas Kratzer notified council members during the Jan. 26 meeting that he had received a resignation letter from Ripley Village Administrator Phil White.

“He has done a very good job for the town, and I hate to lose him,” Kratzer said while announcing White’s resignation.

White was hired as the Ripley Village Administrator in May of 2020, a lifelong resident of Ripley who contributed to the community for more than 30 years at Bristow Pharmacy.

This story originally appeared in the Feb. 4 edition of The News Democrat. To get the best local news first, call 513-732-2511 to subscribe.