Matching Grant Would Help Fund Local Road Projects
July 5, 2017 at 3:39 p.m.
By David [email protected]
The city council Monday night approved a letter to the Indiana Department of Transportation committing funding for several specific road projects in hopes of obtaining matching Community Crossing Grant funds.
Mayor Joe Thallemer reminded the council that the city participated in the Community Crossing grant program last year. “We are allowed to match up to a million dollars, and last year we matched $750,000, so we ended up with $1.5 million. We were able to double our road funds here, and those projects will be starting here very soon,” he said.
The second round of matching grants is due July 14, Thallemer said. “And we need to have a council resolution just to basically acknowledge that we are participating.”
The funds will be tied to specific projects.
“But again, it gives pretty much a 50-50 match if we are able to secure (a grant),” Thallemer said. “It’s our understanding that there probably will be more communities vying this year. They also give a little bit of preference to counties under 50,000 (residents), so I think there’s a certain amount of funds set aside that will go toward smaller counties.”
While almost everyone who applied last year got a grant, he said he wasn’t sure that was the case this year so it was in Warsaw’s best interest to apply for the maximum amount.
The city will be committing a total of $1 million – the maximum amount – for road projects. The committed dollars will come from: $280,000, wheel tax; $160,000, motor vehicle highway; $60,000 local roads and streets; and $500,000, Redevelopment Northern Tax Increment Finance.
The Redevelopment Commission Monday unanimously approved three projects in the Northern Tax Increment Finance District so that $500,000 could be doubled if the Community Crossings matching grant is awarded. Those three projects include Executive Boulevard from CR 150W to a curve on Executive; Jalynn Street from Parent Drive to an INDOT right of way; and Silveus Crossing, from an INDOT right of way to CR 300N.
City Council President and Redevelopment Commission member Mike Klondaris told the council that his comment at the Redevelopment Commission was, “Anytime you can put a dollar in and get two out, that’s a good deal.”
Thallemer said all the projects the city was applying to get Community Crossings grant money for are projects Street Superintendent Jeff Beeler has sat down and carefully examined.
Councilwoman Cindy Dobbins asked, “As I understand it then, half of the monies will go toward the projects in the Northern TIF and the other half will actually be dispersed on projects around town?”
Beeler said yes as that $500,000 can only be used in that TIF district anyway. “Then our regular road funds will be dispersed just like it is every other year. We’ll spread it around,”?he said.
Councilwoman Diane Quance asked if the other $500,000 from the wheel tax, MVH?and LRS was money the city already had anyway. Beeler said that was correct.
“Those are funds that not only are they funds available, but they’re earmarked for specific projects, so you don’t just take a chunk and get it and decide what you’re going to do with it. These projects have to be (specified),” Thallemer said.
He said the letter to INDOT the city council was asked to approve just allows the city to apply for the matching grant funds.
The council approved the letter by a vote of 5-0, with councilman Jeff Grose and Jack Wilhite absent.
The city council Monday night approved a letter to the Indiana Department of Transportation committing funding for several specific road projects in hopes of obtaining matching Community Crossing Grant funds.
Mayor Joe Thallemer reminded the council that the city participated in the Community Crossing grant program last year. “We are allowed to match up to a million dollars, and last year we matched $750,000, so we ended up with $1.5 million. We were able to double our road funds here, and those projects will be starting here very soon,” he said.
The second round of matching grants is due July 14, Thallemer said. “And we need to have a council resolution just to basically acknowledge that we are participating.”
The funds will be tied to specific projects.
“But again, it gives pretty much a 50-50 match if we are able to secure (a grant),” Thallemer said. “It’s our understanding that there probably will be more communities vying this year. They also give a little bit of preference to counties under 50,000 (residents), so I think there’s a certain amount of funds set aside that will go toward smaller counties.”
While almost everyone who applied last year got a grant, he said he wasn’t sure that was the case this year so it was in Warsaw’s best interest to apply for the maximum amount.
The city will be committing a total of $1 million – the maximum amount – for road projects. The committed dollars will come from: $280,000, wheel tax; $160,000, motor vehicle highway; $60,000 local roads and streets; and $500,000, Redevelopment Northern Tax Increment Finance.
The Redevelopment Commission Monday unanimously approved three projects in the Northern Tax Increment Finance District so that $500,000 could be doubled if the Community Crossings matching grant is awarded. Those three projects include Executive Boulevard from CR 150W to a curve on Executive; Jalynn Street from Parent Drive to an INDOT right of way; and Silveus Crossing, from an INDOT right of way to CR 300N.
City Council President and Redevelopment Commission member Mike Klondaris told the council that his comment at the Redevelopment Commission was, “Anytime you can put a dollar in and get two out, that’s a good deal.”
Thallemer said all the projects the city was applying to get Community Crossings grant money for are projects Street Superintendent Jeff Beeler has sat down and carefully examined.
Councilwoman Cindy Dobbins asked, “As I understand it then, half of the monies will go toward the projects in the Northern TIF and the other half will actually be dispersed on projects around town?”
Beeler said yes as that $500,000 can only be used in that TIF district anyway. “Then our regular road funds will be dispersed just like it is every other year. We’ll spread it around,”?he said.
Councilwoman Diane Quance asked if the other $500,000 from the wheel tax, MVH?and LRS was money the city already had anyway. Beeler said that was correct.
“Those are funds that not only are they funds available, but they’re earmarked for specific projects, so you don’t just take a chunk and get it and decide what you’re going to do with it. These projects have to be (specified),” Thallemer said.
He said the letter to INDOT the city council was asked to approve just allows the city to apply for the matching grant funds.
The council approved the letter by a vote of 5-0, with councilman Jeff Grose and Jack Wilhite absent.
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