MVRPC, which covers Darke, Greene, Miami, Montgomery, Preble, Shelby, and northern Warren counties, is tasked with planning the future of transportation, the environment and other facets of the Miami Valley.
“No matter what’s happening around the world, or in Washington, or in Columbus, we have things that we need to do as the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission,” said MVRPC Executive Director Brian Martin at the commission’s meeting Thursday.
Martin said MVRPC workers are not federal employees, but there are concerns about future grant funding. The commission makes decisions on $25 million in federal funds.
Martin and Regional Equity Initiative Manager Fabrice Juin updated community leaders Thursday about the commission’s Regional Equity Initiative, which falls under the commission’s Institute for Livable and Equitable Communities. The Dayton Foundation is a partner in that endeavor.
In its past year, the equity initiative saw projects related to digital inclusion and housing education, among other work.
“MVRPC is a resource for all these things,” Martin said. “We’re going to continue doing that. It’s what we do, it’s how we’re built.”
Martin said this is a “critical time” for this work, particularly in Ohio. Programs made with equity in mind ensure communities aren’t left behind in funding or job opportunities.
With every new federal administration, there is some anxiety around department changes. The MVRPC works with federal agencies like the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and federal dollars for transportation projects are often funneled through the Ohio Department of Transportation.
“We have always pivoted no matter the administration,” Martin told Dayton Daily News this week. “Miami Valley is who the Miami Valley is. This is a very unique region.”
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