Second Income Survey Needed for North Webster Grant
Posted
Jordan Fouts-
NORTH WEBSTER – The application process for a major grant has hit a snag, town council heard Tuesday, as a survey of low-income residents was too close for comfort to the margin of error. Cornerstone Grants Management Inc. owner Amy Miller said a recent survey of residents showed that 52.5 percent qualify as low-income, just barely over the 51 percent threshold to apply for an Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs grant. The $500,000 grant is needed to fund wastewater treatment plant improvements. Her company conducted the survey in March and April, but received responses to only a quarter of the 954 mailings. With a 5 percent margin of error, she said, the survey results could fall below the threshold, requiring more responses to boost confidence in the results. Council agreed to the cost of a second round of mailers, which she estimated at around $535 for materials only. Miller said she hopes for responses from 399 households to narrow down the margin of error. Town Clerk-Treasurer Betsy Luce also agreed to provide an up-to-date list of addresses in the hopes of getting a greater percentage of responses. Also Tuesday, council approved a $33,755 quote for a new utility department truck at the request of Director Mike Noe. The quote from Burnworth Zollars Ford was the cheapest of several received and came in below the $35,000 to $40,000 budgeted. Noe also wanted to clarify with council the policy on brush pickup, which he said he is willing to do for smaller items but that harvested greenery is a more gray area. He noted if a resident hires a contractor for tree or brush cutting, removal is their responsibilty.
