A combined sewer overflow project in Crothersville received a $1,428,908 grant sooner than expected.
The announcement of funding approval got the town council’s year off to a pleasant start at last week’s first of the new year meeting.
“I didn’t expect this good news so quickly,” Trena Carter of Administrative Resources association said at the Tuesday Crothersville Town Council meeting.
The grant will help finance the $3.5 million project that was started last spring.
The town is among over 100 communities which have antiquated combined storm and sanitary sewers. Crothersville, and similar communities, have been under pressure from IDEM (Indiana Department of Environmental Management) to remedy the situation.
“This is a huge milestone for the town,” council President Ardell Mitchell said.
Crothersville will use the grant funding to make improvements to the city’s sanitary sewer system, including 1,475 linear feet of new piping and other components. Completion of the project will benefit local residents by resolving health issues associated with untreated wastewater during times of heavy rain.
The total cost is $3,572,270 for improvements to Crothersville’s wastewater infrastructure. The town will also receive a low interest loan the United States Department of Agriculture- Rural Development for $2,143,362 to complete the extensive project.
Repayment of the loan will come from sewer rates, however, Mitchell said that no increase is sewer rates is anticipated.
Grant and loan funds will be available later this year, and the project must be completed by July 30, 2012, officials said last week.
In other matters, the appointment of special town positions took place with no changes.
Mitchell was re-elected as president of the town council; Vurlin McIntosh will remain chief of police, and Travis Thompson will continue as the town attorney. Only a parks and recreation board seat remains open. That position will be discussed at the February meeting.
Regular town council meetings will continue to be held the first Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. at town hall, it was decided.
In other business:
•The addition of two 15-minute parking spaces at 402 E. Main Streeet in front of Children’s Time Daycare received a first reading approval.
•At the council’s December meeting, Mitchell showed his plan for uniform speed limits throughout the town. This month he asked the council to review the plan. He said he would like alleys included in the ordinance. Councilwoman Karen Mains was concerned with the area in which she lives, and suggested that Mill Street have a 15 mph speed limit.
•The council received the first real estate appraisal of the Methodist Church annex on Howard Street. The building is being considered as a new home for town hall since it was offered by the church last September for $55,000.
The appraisal, done by Paul Nay, was for at $47,500. A second appraisal is due by February. By law, the town cannot purchase property for more than the appraised values.
