“These grants improve daily life in rural Indiana and create more opportunities for Hoosiers,” Lieutenant Governor Beckwith said. “Congratulations to the local leaders of these communities. Your work supports small businesses, creates jobs, and strengthens our state’s economy.”
OCRA distributes Community Development Block Grant funds to rural communities, which assist units of local government with various community projects such as infrastructure improvement, downtown revitalization, public facilities and economic development.
“It is great to see so many towns, cities and counties using the resources at their disposal to better their residents’ quality of life,” OCRA Executive Director Fred Glynn said. “Congratulations to the leaders in each of these communities. Your hard work does not go unnoticed and will have a lasting positive impact in your community.”
The Blight Clearance Program strives to encourage Indiana communities with blighted properties to focus on long-term community development and revitalization through improving quality of place, generating jobs and spurring economic revitalization. Eligible projects to receive grant funding through the Blight Clearance Program are deteriorated or abandoned downtown buildings or vacant and unusable industrial sites.
One project is receiving Blight Clearance Program grant funding:
- Vermillion County is awarded $500,000 to demolish three buildings in the Town of Dana that have had long-term structural stability issues, broken glass windows, non-securable windows and entryways, and exposed mold and asbestos. The project will eliminate environmental hazards, improve community safety and promote downtown revitalization.
Projects receiving Public Facilities Program grant funding include:
- The City of Auburn is awarded $750,000 to assist with the rehabilitation of damaged masonry, deteriorating lintels, and windows and doors of the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum showroom facade preservation project. This restoration is an essential component in maintaining the safety, stability and functionality of the building.
- The Town of Silver Lake is awarded $750,000 to construct a new community center, which will serve as a social and recreational hub through planned activities and programs. The community center will improve the quality of life for the residents and help ensure the town’s long-term viability.
- The City of Logansport is awarded $750,000 to renovate the historic Logansport-Cass County Memorial Center, including improvements to building insulation, water damage and wood rot areas. The building will maintain its historical appearance and functionality as a community center.
Projects receiving Wastewater/Drinking Water Program grant funding include:
- The City of Elwood is awarded $750,000 to make necessary improvements to its drinking water infrastructure in the Dulleville neighborhood. Improvements include rehabilitating water mains, hydrants and valves to better public safety and water system reliability.
- The City of Montpelier is awarded $750,000 to make necessary improvements to its water utility system. This project will replace a leaking filter at the water treatment plant, replace failing residential water meters and install a Gateway system to receive data from the water meters. The water treatment plant will return to full capacity and increase water use efficiency for its customers.
- The Town of St. Joe is awarded $750,000 to make necessary improvements to its water distribution system. The project will replace remaining asbestos cement water mains throughout portions of the town, install water main looping on the north side of the system and install new fire hydrants. This project will increase efficiency of water utility service, improve water quality and enhance resident safety.
- The Town of Syracuse is awarded $700,000 to improve its water utility infrastructure system along Huntington Street and adjacent side streets. The water improvement project will replace the undersized and deteriorating water supply lines and gooseneck connections. This will increase treatment capacity, improve the system’s efficiency and fire protection capabilities, and eliminate health risks.
- The Town of Michigantown is awarded $750,000 to make necessary improvements to its wastewater collection system, which consists of upgrades to it’s lift station, pump, submerged attached growth reactor system, disinfection system and electrical system. These improvements will increase the reliability of the town’s wastewater treatment plant and project the health of the residents.
- The Town of Otterbein is awarded $750,000 to complete a wastewater utility improvement project that includes the installation of slip-lining in over 6,000 feet of sanitary sewer lines, the rehabilitation of 28 manholes and upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant. This project will increase the overall efficiency of the wastewater system and improve residents’ health and safety.
- The Town of Birdseye is awarded $750,000 to complete improvements to its wastewater system by rehabilitating manholes and mains, installing an emergency bypass connection at a lift station and dredging lagoons. This project will address critical compliance and health and safety concerns.
- The Town of Cynthiana is awarded $673,500 to make necessary improvements to its water utility system. The project includes improvements to the water tower, meters, lids and valves to improve the system’s ability to provide reliable clean drinking water for the community.
- The Town of Bloomingdale is awarded $700,000 to make necessary improvements to its water utility system. The project includes improvements to the water tower, distribution system and booster station that will increase water quality and enhance fire protection capabilities.
- The Town of Cloverdale is awarded $750,000 to make improvements to its water utility system, including upgrading the water treatment plant, booster station and water main in order to better serve the Stardust Hills neighborhood.
- The Town of Thorntown is awarded $750,000 to make necessary improvements to its water utility system. The project will rehabilitate the community’s aging water treatment plant and add an additional water well to efficiently provide quality drinking water to residents.
