The Village of East Palestine is getting a big investment to the tune of $16 million for a new public safety complex.

"congress directed the USDA to spend some money, some leftover funds, on communities that had experienced disasters," says Jonathan McCracken, USDA State Director of Rural Development for Ohio.

Democratic US Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio shared Thursday that the U.S. Department of Agriculture selected the village for the funding in the wake of the Norfolk Southern train derailment last year.

The village ended up getting $16 million dollars - more than anyone else who applied. That will cover 75 percent of the cost, with the village covering the rest.

Senator Brown helped secure the funding.

"...every public safety building in the village is within the one-mile evacuation zone for railroad incidents," said Brown. "When the derailment happened, the village's dispatch center was forced to relocate, and the fire and police personnel ended up operating out of a city garage."

One of the most pressing issued first responders wanted addressed - the location.
The current fire sits just feet from the tracks.

"Had the derailment occurred half a mile sooner, the fire station would have been inaccessible and unable to respond to the disaster," Brown said.

The new public safety complex will host the city's fire, EMS and police departments, along with its 911 call center.
The facility will also help the county as a back-up 911 call center.

"These administration buildings can often serve as a community center if there's a power outage or there's a cold snap or something like that," added McCracken. The facility will also contain quarters for village council and other meetings.

Mayor Trent Conaway tells 21 News construction should start in 2025, and that the complex will be built on land along North Market Street on the very north end of town.