Silver Lake Updated On Grant Funding
July 9, 2020 at 1:34 a.m.
By Amanda [email protected]
Mitch Hansel, of Fleis & Vandenbrink, an engineering firm, provided results from a streets and roads study he conducted for the town to qualify for a 75/25 Community Crossings matching grant.
Hansel said they “drove down every street in town” and found that most of the roads are in very good shape, particularly the northern side of the town’s streets.
He did mention that some roads have “alligator cracking,” which indicates the road has a base failure. Due to COVID-19, the grant application deadline in September will possibly be pushed to early next year. Hansel said he’ll continue to attend monthly town council meetings to provide updates on the process and see how the town would like to proceed.
The council also heard from Shannon Mcleod, with Priority Project Resources, grant writers, about an Office of Community and Rural Affairs grant the town is trying to seize after taking ownership of the old school and deciding to tear it down. While the town does plan to build a community center where the old school sits, they will need help with funding to tear the building down.
That federal funding – to the tune of $235,000 – could come in and bring the building down by March 2022, Mcleod predicted.
But first, the town needs to pay for and get a phase I environmental study done. Depending on what contaminants are found in the building, a phase II study could be required.
After that, the town would need to hire two local contractors to evaluate what work would be needed for demolition. Mcleod said the town should try to have that done in October.
Mcleod will stay in touch with the town about the grant application process and what she needs from them, because she too cited that the application deadline has been moved to early next year due to COVID-19.
Justin Harshman, a pastor at Silver Lake’s Gospel Hill Church, informed the council the church is planning a family-friendly event from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday at the church to honor Payton Slaymaker and her family. Slaymaker was diagnosed with a rare and untreatable brain cancer, and despite doctors’ grim reports for her future, Slaymaker is “shocking them all,” Harshman said.
Free hot dogs and hamburgers, along with bouncy houses for children, will be at Saturday’s event that will culminate with a fireworks show at 10 p.m. Harshman said he expects the fireworks to “be pretty good,” especially since a local fireworks vendor donated $3,000 in fireworks for the show.
Also Wednesday, the council:
• Heard from Clerk-Treasurer Tonya Conley that she encourages residents to fill out the 2020 Census because it helps provide the town with funding.
According to data from the 2010 Census, 915 people live in Silver Lake. Conley said even if that number went up by 50 people, it would help.
• Set a 4 p.m. July 22 public hearing to accept a leaf vacuum grant, which will be immediately followed by the 2021 budget hearing. Those meetings will be held at Silver Lake Town Hall, 604 N. Jefferson St.
• Heard from Conley that the governor’s order extending the water utility bill shut-off exemption is Aug. 14, but that could still get extended. Conley reported that since the order was put in place in mid-March, the town is owed $9,000 from water and sewer bills.
“We can’t do anything to them, because we can’t,” Conley said, adding that while she believes some people have needed the help, she also believes others are taking advantage of it. One account has an $800 back water bill, she said.
• Heard from Town?Marshal Jason McGlennen the police department purchased three Bluetooth devices for each of their three squad cars in order to better comply with the new hands-free driving cell phone law that took effect July 1.
McGlennen said the devices are what Warsaw Police Department got for their cars and that they cost about $33 each.
• Heard Fire Chief John Conley’s report that included six runs within the last month. Conley also reported that someone tried to break into the EMS side of the fire station so they installed cameras.
The next Silver Lake Town Council meeting is 7 p.m. Aug. 12 at Town Hall.
Mitch Hansel, of Fleis & Vandenbrink, an engineering firm, provided results from a streets and roads study he conducted for the town to qualify for a 75/25 Community Crossings matching grant.
Hansel said they “drove down every street in town” and found that most of the roads are in very good shape, particularly the northern side of the town’s streets.
He did mention that some roads have “alligator cracking,” which indicates the road has a base failure. Due to COVID-19, the grant application deadline in September will possibly be pushed to early next year. Hansel said he’ll continue to attend monthly town council meetings to provide updates on the process and see how the town would like to proceed.
The council also heard from Shannon Mcleod, with Priority Project Resources, grant writers, about an Office of Community and Rural Affairs grant the town is trying to seize after taking ownership of the old school and deciding to tear it down. While the town does plan to build a community center where the old school sits, they will need help with funding to tear the building down.
That federal funding – to the tune of $235,000 – could come in and bring the building down by March 2022, Mcleod predicted.
But first, the town needs to pay for and get a phase I environmental study done. Depending on what contaminants are found in the building, a phase II study could be required.
After that, the town would need to hire two local contractors to evaluate what work would be needed for demolition. Mcleod said the town should try to have that done in October.
Mcleod will stay in touch with the town about the grant application process and what she needs from them, because she too cited that the application deadline has been moved to early next year due to COVID-19.
Justin Harshman, a pastor at Silver Lake’s Gospel Hill Church, informed the council the church is planning a family-friendly event from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday at the church to honor Payton Slaymaker and her family. Slaymaker was diagnosed with a rare and untreatable brain cancer, and despite doctors’ grim reports for her future, Slaymaker is “shocking them all,” Harshman said.
Free hot dogs and hamburgers, along with bouncy houses for children, will be at Saturday’s event that will culminate with a fireworks show at 10 p.m. Harshman said he expects the fireworks to “be pretty good,” especially since a local fireworks vendor donated $3,000 in fireworks for the show.
Also Wednesday, the council:
• Heard from Clerk-Treasurer Tonya Conley that she encourages residents to fill out the 2020 Census because it helps provide the town with funding.
According to data from the 2010 Census, 915 people live in Silver Lake. Conley said even if that number went up by 50 people, it would help.
• Set a 4 p.m. July 22 public hearing to accept a leaf vacuum grant, which will be immediately followed by the 2021 budget hearing. Those meetings will be held at Silver Lake Town Hall, 604 N. Jefferson St.
• Heard from Conley that the governor’s order extending the water utility bill shut-off exemption is Aug. 14, but that could still get extended. Conley reported that since the order was put in place in mid-March, the town is owed $9,000 from water and sewer bills.
“We can’t do anything to them, because we can’t,” Conley said, adding that while she believes some people have needed the help, she also believes others are taking advantage of it. One account has an $800 back water bill, she said.
• Heard from Town?Marshal Jason McGlennen the police department purchased three Bluetooth devices for each of their three squad cars in order to better comply with the new hands-free driving cell phone law that took effect July 1.
McGlennen said the devices are what Warsaw Police Department got for their cars and that they cost about $33 each.
• Heard Fire Chief John Conley’s report that included six runs within the last month. Conley also reported that someone tried to break into the EMS side of the fire station so they installed cameras.
The next Silver Lake Town Council meeting is 7 p.m. Aug. 12 at Town Hall.
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