Gov. Eric Holcomb and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) have announced more than $12 million in federal grant funding for six programs was awarded to rural Hoosier communities.
“Several cities and towns throughout Indiana are dedicated to improving their quality of place and the amount of communities participating in this round of grants reflects that,” Holcomb said in a news release. “A key factor in establishing a good quality of life is ensuring a community can guarantee their residents the health and safety that they deserve, which is what CDBG strives to accomplish.”
Applications for Round 2 of the federal Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) were due to OCRA on Oct. 14; with 25 Indiana communities receiving funds.
“Each city and town has differing needs for what will best contribute to the development of their community,” said OCRA executive director Bill Konyha. “That is why there are a wide variation of programs under CDBG, so as to best cater to every community whether they are focused on improving water quality, developing public facilities or assisting their local workforce.”
The goals of the Wastewater Drinking Water Program (WDW) are to protect the health and environment, reduce utility rates for low-to-moderate income communities and to improve rural infrastructure to enable long-term economic growth. Eligible WDW projects include many aspects of wastewater improvements and drinking water system improvements.
The Town of Andrews has been awarded $600,000 for a project to improve their Wastewater Treatment Plant. The scope of work includes rehabilitating existing headworks, digester and administration building, constructing oxidation ditches, clarifiers and other structures and finally demolishing existing clarifiers, pump station and disinfection and flow measurement processes.
The Town of Atlanta has been awarded $700,000 to make improvements to their water distribution system as well as town wells and treatment facilities. In addition to improving the water system it will also increase fire protection, bring better water quality and increased water pressure.
The Town of Birdseye has been awarded $450,000 for a water improvements project consisting of installing a new connection with Pakota Lake Regional Water and Sewer District, replacing valves and meter pits and upsizing a main water line. The improvements will increase water pressure and allow for more efficient repairs in the future.
The City of Brazil has been awarded $436,271 for a water improvements project where both the Water Treatment Plant and the water lines will be improved. This project will provide residents with an up-to-date water system providing better water flow and increased fire protection as well an improved and safer quality of water.
The Town of Greentown has been awarded $550,000 to make improvements to their water system including improvements to the town’s wells, treatment facilities and distribution system. This project will provide residents with a reliable water source with better quality water, while also keeping water bills at an affordable rate.
The Town of Kirklin has been awarded $650,000 for a project to install, rehabilitate, replace and upgrade various aspects of their currently failing wastewater treatment plant. This project addresses health and safety issues in addition to helping to keep wastewater rates affordable for residents.
The City of Ligonier has been awarded $650,000 for a waterworks improvement project which will include replacing and extending pipe lines, improving water treatment facilities and preforming maintenance on two wells. This work will provide better water pressure and flow as well as provide necessary well treatment creating better water for residents.
The Town of Michigantown has been awarded $600,000 to make wastewater improvements to their collection and treatment system including restoration of 30 manholes, improvements and installations at the wastewater treatment system and new laboratory equipment.
The Town of Nashville has been awarded $592,000 for drinking water improvements by extending/ expanding water lines, demolishing the water tank and current booster station and constructing a new one and replacing water meters. Residents in and around Nashville will benefit by having reliable drinking water.
The Town of Otterbein has been awarded $700,000 for wastewater treatment plant improvements and expansion by installing and replacing various aspects of the plant. This project will improve the sanitary and environmental conditions within the community.
The Town of Palmyra has been awarded $600,000 for the rehabilitation of the existing sanitary collection system to address the inflow and infiltration issues and increase its operational performance. The improvements will reduce wet weather flows and maintenance needs throughout the wastewater collection system. It will also eliminate health and safety issues related to the sewer collections system without a drastic increase in monthly user rates.
The City of Portland has been awarded $600,000 for wastewater treatment plant improvements including the construction of two new center-feed final clarifiers. This project will improve the overall sanitary and environmental conditions within the community.
Sullivan County has been awarded $450,000 for a water improvements project for the Paxton Water Corporation. This will benefit the Corporation’s water service area throughout three rural townships by improving and updating the water system while also improving the water quality for all customers.
The Stormwater Improvement Program (SIP) strives to reduce flooding, to cut Stormwater treatment and energy costs, to protect rivers, lakes and vital landscape and to generate jobs and spur economic revitalization. Types of activities that are eligible for grant funding from SIP include storm water improvements as well as demolition and/or clearance.
The Town of Brookston has been awarded $500,000 for rehabilitation of their Stormwater collections system which consists of installing new storm sewer pipes, concrete manholes and catch basins. This project will reduce property damage caused by flooding, reduce safety hazards currently causing motorists to hydroplane during flooding, make sidewalks always accessible. Also, homeowners who currently experience damage to their homes from street flooding will benefit from the new drainage.
The Town of Crothersville has been awarded $500,000 for their Crothersville Stormwater Improvements Project which includes replacing several concrete box culverts and ditch rehabilitation and debris removal. This will decrease the amount of back flooding from the ditch by restoring the ditch to a free flowing waterway. The improvements will allow the ditch to evacuate the flowing water more efficiently to ease capacity of the surface water flowing into the ditch.
The Town of Sheridan has been awarded $500,000 to install new drainage infrastructure to properly drain the community during wet weather by installing stormwater pipes, manholes with catch basins, pipe connectors and inlets. This will address the most severe storm drainage problems throughout the town.
The Town of Whitestown has been awarded $500,000 for improving the stormwater system in the Legacy Core of Whitestown by installing storm sewers, placing new inlets and repaving affected roads to drain towards the new inlets. This project will save residents money by np longer needing to rent sump pumps, replace drywall or furnaces or deal with mold remediation. It will also allow for safer travel conditions for personal, school and emergency vehicles.
The goals of the Main Street Revitalization Program (MSRP) is to encourage communities with eligible populations to focus on long-term community development efforts. Eligible applicants had a designated active Indiana Main Street group in their community and the project must be a part of the Main Street group’s overall strategy. Eligible MSRP projects include streetscapes, façade renovations and downtown infrastructure rehabilitation.
The City of Auburn has been awarded $500,000 for the Sixth and Main Streetscape Project which includes streetscape and sewer improvements throughout downtown Auburn. The project will increase foot traffic to downtown businesses, improve safety of visitors and residents, provide a focal venue for community events and activities, all while boosting the desirability of the community as a great place to live, do business and recreate.
The City of Greenfield has been awarded $500,000 for improving facades on 10 buildings located in the Greenfield Courthouse Square Historic District by masonry, metal and wood work/installation, and rehabilitation of historic openings, painting, new signage and fabric awnings and installation of exterior lighting. This will help to create a successful sustainable community and improve local quality of life, while improving the economic and physical conditions within the downtown community.
The Town of Spencer has been awarded $500,000 for downtown streetscape improvements along Main Street and Market Street. The project will replace concrete sidewalks and curbs, install decorative lighting, place metal benches and metal trash receptacles as well as plant trees with tree grates. This project contributes to community development by beautifying the downtown through new sidewalks and improved lighting.
The goals of the Public Facilities Program (PFP) are to improve the Quality of Place and to generate jobs and spur economic revitalization, through improving community facilities or historic preservation projects. Eligible community facilities include community centers, daycares, libraries, museums, senior centers and performance spaces.
Orange County has been awarded $500,000 to rehabilitate the First Chance Center through improvements to the day services and administration building. Improvements include making the building ADA accessible throughout, new restrooms, reconfigured office space and entryways, as well as exterior improvements to allow for better drainage. The facility will become more conducive to the current training needs and the building will be more secure for the protection of consumers and staff. This will also bring increased privacy, dignity and independence to the consumers that they currently do not have.
The Town of Walkertown has been awarded $400,000 for the construction of a new library/ media center which will house new publications, computer/technology labs, meeting areas and a youth activity space. This will benefit residents of the town and of Lincoln Township by providing a space learning environment to better enhance the local quality of life.
The Blight Clearance Program (BCP) strives to encourage Indiana communities with blighted properties to focus in long-term community development and revitalization through improving quality of place and generating jobs and spurring economic revitalization. Eligible projects to receive grant funding through BCP are deteriorated or abandoned downtown buildings or vacant and unusable industrial sites.
The Town of Van Buren has been awarded $195,000 for the demolition of three connecting parcels of blighted and abandoned commercial buildings in downtown Van Buren. The project includes demolition of structures, site restoration including sidewalks, curbs and seeding, asbestos abatement, proper removal of recycled materials and debris as well as top-soil and backfill. This will benefit residents by removing unsafe blighted conditions as the buildings are beyond repair and add visible distress to the community.
Funding for the programs – WDW, SIP, MSRP, PFP, and BCP, comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant program and is administered for Indiana by OCRA.
The 2017 CDBG Round 1 (WDW, SIP, BCP, WDP, MSRP) letters of intent are due by February 10th with final applications due on April 7.
For more information about these programs, contact Aletha Dunston at adunston@ocra.in.gov.
