The towns of Birdseye and Milltown, along with 19 other rural communities in Indiana, will receive more than $12.3 million in federal grant funding through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, said State Sen. Erin Houchin (R-Salem).
Birdseye will receive $500,000 to build a new fire station. This funding will help provide the new fire station with HVAC as well as plumbing and electrical systems. Milltown has been awarded $700,000, which will go toward improving the town’s wastewater systems.
“I am thrilled these two communities have been awarded a combined $1.2 million,” Houchin said. “I look forward to seeing these improvements in Birdseye and Milltown, which will be made possible by this funding and the hard work of community members. Quality of life, public safety and health are crucial for our rural communities, and I am grateful to Lt. Gov. Crouch’s continued leadership in this area.”
The CDBG program is a partnership of the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs and Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch. Funds are awarded to units of local government with various community projects related to downtown revitalization, infrastructure and public facility improvements, and economic development.
The first round of the 2020 CDBG program begins Feb. 24, 2020.
The Main Street Revitalization Program encourages communities with eligible populations to focus on long-term community development efforts. Eligible applicants have a designated active Indiana Main Street group in their community, and the project must be a part of the Main Street’s overall strategy. Main Street Revitalization Program projects include streetscapes, facade renovations and downtown infrastructure rehabilitation.
The City of Logansport is awarded $600,000 for a façade improvement project. This project will restore the façades of 8 buildings in the two designated historic districts within the city’s Main Street district. The project will address blighted building conditions, restore original and historical façade features and create a more aesthetic appearance within the Main Street district to improve quality of place.
The Town of Remington is awarded $600,000 for a streetscape project. This project replaces sidewalks and curbs along North and South Railroad Street with decorative crosswalks and sidewalks which connect parking areas to local businesses. Both North and South Railroad Street will be repaved, and additional seating areas will be added around the Remington Depot, as well as street trees and improved pedestrian crossings.
Public Facilities Program
The goals of the Public Facilities Program is to improve quality of place, generate jobs and spur economic revitalization through improving community facilities or historic preservation projects. Eligible community facilities include fire stations, community centers, daycares, libraries, museums, senior centers and performance spaces.
The Town of Birdseye is awarded $500,000 to build a new fire station. The new 5,150 square foot station will provide an increase of 1,691 square feet and will include HVAC, plumbing and electrical systems as well as a large concrete pad on the east side of the building to pull the vehicles out of the building.
The Town of Kentland is awarded $500,000 to construct a new 6,673 square foot fire station to serve Jefferson Township and the Town of Kentland. This station will have five double drive-through bays, another bay for the department’s equipment and will feature office space, training and meeting rooms, shower facilities and a mezzanine level for storage and exercise equipment.
The Town of Mecca is awarded $500,000 to rehabilitate the town’s fire station. The project will repurpose the current 3,450 square foot truck bay space into a multi-functional space for training, running reports and a community gathering place. Also, additions to the building will include locker room space and two drive through truck bays with two back-in truck bays totaling 3,262 square feet.
Randolph County is awarded $500,000 to renovate the Jay-Randolph Developmental Services building. This facility, which provides residential, community and center-based services for people with disabilities, will build an addition to include an ADA accessible kitchenette with sinks, stoves and client cabinets. Some exterior renovations, such as adding a handicap ramp and canopy for entry and exit along with some site demolition, will also be completed. Finally, facility restrooms will be relocated and improved to better accommodate clients and allow space for staff members to assist as needed.
Wabash County is awarded $500,000 to renovate the former Wabash Plain Dealer Newspaper building to serve as a community thrift store and house the following non-profit organizations: Wabash Lighthouse Missions, Advantage Housing of Wabash County, 85 Hope and FISH of Wabash. This multi-use facility will feature medical examinations rooms, a locked pharmacy storage room, counseling suites, ADA restrooms, dressing rooms and a covered donation area.
Stormwater Improvement Program
The Stormwater Improvement Program strives to reduce flooding, to cut stormwater treatment and energy costs, to protect rivers, lakes and vital landscape and generate jobs to spur economic revitalization. Types of activities that are eligible for this grant funding include stormwater improvements, as well as demolition and/or clearance.
The Town of Chandler is awarded $600,000 for drainage improvements. This project will install two stormwater detention facilities to offset the burden on the existing stormwater infrastructure. The proposed work for both facilities will include approximately 3.9 acres of clearance, 3,550 cubic yards of stripping, 9,350 cubic yards of excavation and two new outlet structures along with erosion control and seeding.
The City of Ligonier is awarded $450,000 for drainage improvements. This project will replace existing deteriorated storm drainage lines and inlets in order to eliminate the ponding of surface water and sanitary sewer back-up issues currently being faced by residents. Approximately 2,173 lineal feet of new storm drainage lines will be added along with 16 new inlets and standard manhole castings.
The City of Union City is awarded $600,000 for drainage improvements. This project will remove and replace 23 catch basins and remove and replace approximately 775 lineal feet of storm sewers along Clifford Street. Along Columbia Street, an eight inch PVC or polyethylene liner will be installed in an existing eight-inch storm sewer line. Finally, the project will include the addition of six concrete storm manholes along with eight-catch basins.
Wastewater Drinking Water Program
The goals of the Wastewater Drinking Water Program are to protect the health and environment, reduce utility rates for low-to-moderate income communities and improve rural infrastructure to enable long-term economic growth. Eligible Wastewater Drinking Water Program projects include many aspects of wastewater improvements and drinking water system improvements.
The Town of Advance is awarded $700,000 for wastewater system improvements. The project will install various improvements to the Town’s municipal wastewater utility, including treatment plant upgrades and replacements. In addition, both of the lift stations will be upgraded and 6,600 lineal feet of sewer lateral segments will also be replaced.
The City of Alexandria is awarded $700,000 for wastewater system improvements. The project includes building a new 1,200 square foot climate-controlled building to protect the chemical feed system and bulk storage tank. The new building will have a spill containment curb inside, HVAC equipment, two overhead doors, a manual security entry door, electrical and instrumental controls and fixtures. Additional improvements include replacing the clarifier drive assembly, replacing the center torque tube and scraper arms, installing two weir panels and clarifier trough replacements along with a sandblast and paint bridge.
The Town of Brookville is awarded $600,000 for sewer line system improvements. The project will cover the relocation of the gravity sewer on Progress Street and the rehabilitation of the wastewater treatment plant’s west clarifier. The work on Progress Street involves demolishing the existing sanitary sewer and installing new PVC lines west of the current line, excavating existing fill soils until native soils are encountered and replacement with soils similar to the native soils to provide stability. The rehabilitation of the west clarifier will involve replacement of the weirs, weir troughs, support brackets and scaffolding rehabilitation.
The Town of Carlisle is awarded $600,000 for drinking water system improvements. The project will upgrade the town’s water treatment facility, to include replacing the existing gallon per minute package treatment units along with structural improvements to the building’s HVAC system, electrical and emergency backup generator system. Also, new high service pump motors and variable frequency drives will be installed, as well as new pressure and flow instrumentation devices.
The Town of Eaton is awarded $600,000 for drinking water system improvements. The project will be inserting 37 valves on the asbestos pipe on both sides of the intersection and installing a new C900 main water line between the valves. Specifically, 690 linear feet of granular back fill will be added along with 665 linear feet of water main. Five cross fittings will also be installed as well as nine clamps and sleeves, 15 tap and corporation stops and an additional 600 linear feet of water service line.
The Town of Glenwood is awarded $250,663 for wastewater system improvements. The project will install a premanufactured building at the entrance of the wastewater lagoon. Once built, the building will house two new chemical feed pumps to supply chemicals to the wastewater prior to reaching the lagoons. A new panel board for general equipment operational purposes will be installed along with 400 feet of wastewater service line and 433 feet of chemical feed piping to reach the lagoons.
The City of Martinsville is awarded $700,000 for drinking water system improvements to the supply and treatment plant as well as to the distribution system. The supply and treatment plant improvements will consist of drilling three new wells, renovating the interior of the existing treatment facility building and constructing a new facility. The distribution system improvements will consist of replacing approximately 11,200 linear feet of high priority water mains with approximately 80 isolation valves, 80 hydrants and replacing the Hacker Creek Booster Station with new electrical components.
The Town of Milltown is awarded $700,000 for wastewater system improvements. The project will improve the wastewater treatment plant by installing a new AeroMod type package plant, which contains most of the treatment operations into one tank. The existing digestors, headworks, clarifiers and oxidation ditch will be demolished.
The Town of Newport is awarded $700,000 for drinking water system improvements. The project will renovate the deteriorating infrastructure with the purpose of preventing a complete system failure. Renovations include: upgrading all the well disinfection facilities, back-up power and control; building a new well building, installing SCADA equipment, replacing the existing water treatment plant, along with replacing the booster station and existing ground storage tank.
The Town of Spencer is awarded $700,000 for sewer system improvements. The project will focus on the rehabilitation of the existing sewer mains and manholes with cured-in-place pipe lining and internal manhole coatings. Specifically, the cleaning, video measuring and removal of protruding laterals will be conducted and installation of approximately 8,400 linear feet of sewer mains as cured-in-place pipe will be performed. An internal manhole coating system will be added to rehabilitate the existing manholes and inflow dishes under manhole castings located in low lying and flood prone areas will be installed.
The City of Washington is awarded $700,000 for wastewater system improvements. The project will replace the wastewater treatment plant maintenance building. It will house the newly required chemical feed system along with new chemical storage and pumps.
