Webster City is looking for $600,000 in block grant money to help pay for extensive sanitary sewer work throughout the community.
After a public hearing proposing to submit a Community Development Block Grant — CDBG — application to the Iowa Economic Development Authority through MIDAS Council of Governments Monday evening, Stacey Lentsch, MIDAS community development director, walked a truncated council through an assessment that would accompany the funding request for the 2022 Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation Project.
With three members of the council present, the resolution to seek the grant passed. Mayor John Hawkins and council member Matt McKinney were absent.
According to a memo in the council packet, during a previously implemented cleaning and televising program the city found increased issues with its system. It hired the engineering firm Snyder & Associates to assess the sanitary sewer system and recommend necessary improvements.
The resulting project will include approximately 10,330 feet of sewer main lining, approximately 235 feet of spot repairs, service connections, and some manhole repairs.
There will be no permanent displacement of persons or businesses, the city said.
The nature of the proposed activities.
The CDBG funds will come from the Iowa Economic Development Authority. The balance of the project will be paid with city funds.
The scope of the project will depend somewhat on the amount of CDBG funds awarded to the city.
Lentsch commented during the public hearing that the camera work in the sewer showed “a large amount of need.”
She said later, “You should go ahead and ask for the $600,000.”
The deadline for the application is Oct. 1. The request is for federal funds from the IEDA CDBG Water/Sewer Fund.
“The proposed project will benefit the entire City of Webster City,” the council packet states. “Since approximately 52% of the City’s population is LMI (low or middle income), that is the estimated percentage that will benefit LMI persons. Approximately $312,000 of CDBG funds will benefit LMI persons.”
The work would take place throughout the city of Webster City.
No timeline is yet available.
View this article as it originally appeared in the Daily Freeman-Journal.
Last modified: October 18, 2022