If the town is approved, up to 20 homes of low income Crothersville families could receive up to $20,000 for renovations.
Debra Lilly of ARa in Columbus explained that if the town is awarded the grant, owner-occupied homes could get electric and plumbing upgrades, new heating and cooling units, new roofs, new windows & doors, be made handicap accessible and remove lead base paint hazards.
To be eligible homes must be within the town limits, be single-family, owner-occupied on permanent foundations. Additionally, homes must be insured and not be purchased on a real estate contract.
The council unanimously approved pursuing the Community Development Block Grant Funds administered through the Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority.
Lilly said the town has a July deadline to submit the application.
Expenses for the new police station were approved to be paid by the town. When the town acquired the building at the corner of Moore & Preston Streets last fall for $100, they knew property taxes owed by Schneck Medical Center would be due to be paid this year. The council approved paying a little over $2,200 property tax bill for the year on the facility. Since being government owned as of March 1 of this year, the town will not owe property taxes in the future.
In a related matter at the police station, the council reviewed three bids to replace the roof on the structure. Royalty Roofing bid $4,398 to replace the roof; Sam Kuehn Construction entered a $4,390 proposal; and Weller Roofing bid $4,090.
The council approved the Weller proposal for roof replacement.
In other business:
•The town approved using its own workers to clean out trees and brush along Hominy Ditch from the railroad to the sewer plant.
•Approved advertising for bids for the drainage work and road extension on Industrial Way for Aisin Chemical’s new manufacturing plant.
•Heard that six abandoned properties have been mowed by town workers. The owners will be sent a bill and if not paid the charges will be added to the owner’s property taxes.
•The council agreed to hire on a contractual basis Larry McIntosh of Stucker Fork Water Utility to be the town’s certified water utility operator. The town will pay him $800 per month. McIntosh will be training town worker Chris Mains to do testing at the water plant. McIntosh replaces Danny Derringer who retired recently due to health reasons.
