Crouch Announces $11M Awarded to 21 Rural Communities

STATEHOUSE (April 5, 2018) – Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch along with the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs announced today that more than $11 million in federal grant funding is being awarded to 21 rural Hoosier communities.

“We must continue to provide support for our rural communities if we want to keep Indiana’s economy thriving,” Crouch said. “Through these grants, local governments are able to enhance their quality of life for their citizens and encourage more growth opportunities.”

Applications for round three of the federal Community Development Block Grant Program were due to OCRA on February 9, 2018. The state of Indiana distributes CDBG funds to rural communities to assist units of local government with various community projects like: improving infrastructure, downtown revitalization, public facilities improvements and economic development.

“The importance of CDBG funding cannot be overstated,” said Jodi Golden, Executive Director of OCRA. “These grants have an incredibly positive impact on communities across our state by building new community facilities, improving quality of place and providing necessary improvements to local infrastructure.”

Feedback for communities that were not funded will be provided by the CDBG Program Director in the coming weeks.
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Golden said that OCRA wants to be a good partner to all rural communities and be a resource on grant applications, and if assistance is needed during any part of the process, please reach out.

The first round of the 2018 CDBG program will begin on April 16 with proposals due on May 25. Final applications are due August 16 at 4 p.m ET.

For more information about these programs, contact Eric Ogle, CDBG Program Director.
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The Blight Clearance Program strives to encourage 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 Blight Clearance Program projects to receive grant funding are deteriorated or abandoned downtown buildings or vacant and unusable industrial sites.

The Town of Milton is awarded $469,000 for clearance and demolition of a vacant and dilapidated school building. This project will benefit residents by removing a deteriorating structure, clearing the site and creating a green space for residents to enjoy.
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The goals of the Public Facilities Program are to improve the quality of place, to generate jobs and spur economic revitalization through improving community facilities or historic preservation projects. Eligible community facilities include community centers, daycares, libraries, museums, senior centers and performance spaces.

Jasper County is awarded $500,000 for the construction of a new fire station in Wheatfield Township for the Wheatfield Volunteer Fire Department.

Marshall County is awarded $500,000 for the construction of a multi-purpose community building to be located at the county fairgrounds in Argos, Indiana. The building will be approximately 8,000 square feet and able to accommodate more than 400 individuals for a variety of year-round events.

Randolph County is awarded $500,000 for a new fire station, which will be constructed on three acres owned by the White River Township. The proposed facility is approximately 7,744 square feet which will consist of five fire station bays. The new station will provide improved health services to all families served by the volunteer fire department.

The Town of Roachdale is awarded $500,000 to repurpose an abandoned building as a community center. The project will include the demolition of outside structures, addition of exterior elements, and interior renovations to create an assembly room, commercial kitchen and small group and senior citizen meeting rooms.

The City of Washington is awarded $500,000 for the construction of a PACE child development facility. This project will include construction of a one-story wood framed structure with a brick veneer. Each classroom will have two to three windows and an exit will be installed in the south facing portion of the building. The addition will be attached to the currently existing structure located on the west side of Washington and will be complementary to the existing structure.
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The Stormwater Improvement Program strives to reduce flooding, to cut stormwater treatment and energy costs, to protect rivers, lakes and vital landscape, and to generate jobs and spur economic revitalization. Types of activities that are eligible for Stormwater Improvement Program grant funding include stormwater improvements as well as demolition and/or clearance.

The City of Cannelton is awarded $519,600 for stormwater system improvements. This project will address drainage in three areas throughout the city that regularly flood. New drainage tiles will be installed and collapsed drainage tiles will be replaced.
The Town of Linton is awarded $600,000 for stormwater system improvements. This project will include new inlets and manholes, new sewers and rehabilitation of existing sewers; ditch rehabilitation and grading, site restoration, driveway and pavement replacement at intersections and utility relocation in select areas. 
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The goals of the Wastewater Drinking Water Program are to protect the health and environment, reduce utility rates for low-to-moderate income communities and improve rural infrastructure to enable long-term economic growth. Eligible Wastewater Drinking Water Program projects include many aspects of wastewater improvements and drinking water system improvements.

The Town of Crothersville is awarded $550,000 for wastewater system improvements. The project will significantly reduce the inflow and infiltration in this location and directly impacts the wastewater treatment plant.

The Town of Decker is awarded $550,000 for wastewater system improvements. The project will include replacing the existing pipelines from the treatment plant up to Second Street with no deviation to the existing line. The project will install a six inch line from Second Street to Broadway, up to Fifth Street and over to the existing tank on Fifth Street.

The Town of Dugger is awarded $550,000 for drinking water infrastructure improvements. This project will install new PVC water mains to replace the existing transit piping, which reduces the costs associated with repairing existing breaks and leaks. The town will also be installing new service connections and water meters for each consumer within the area affected by the new pipe installations.

The City of Greenfield is awarded $500,000 for wastewater improvements. This project will rehabilitate approximately 6,300 feet of sanitary sewer and include a few blocks of laterals replacement.

The Town of Marengo is awarded $362,697 for wastewater improvements. This project will modernize the wastewater clarifier, effluent, return sludge pump station and scum pit. These improvements will protect the health of the community and environment with the wastewater utility and be in compliance with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management requirements.

The Town of Marshall is awarded $120,000 for drinking water system improvements. This project will install an additional nine water valves and six new fire hydrants throughout the town.

The Town of Middletown is awarded $550,000 for wastewater improvements. This project will install a new sewage macerator, replace a flow monitor and rehabilitate the primary clarification structure at the wastewater treatment plant. Collection system improvements will include the construction of 650 feet of new sewers.

The Town of Montgomery is awarded $700,000 for wastewater system improvements. This project will install cured-in-place pipe on approximately 10,000 linear feet of existing gravity sewer line and 60 lateral connections.

The Town of New Ross is awarded $550,000 for the rehabilitation of the wastewater treatment lift station and lagoon. The project will improve the wastewater discharge with the installation of a modern supervisory control and data acquisition system, a new ultraviolet disinfection unit and lagoon improvements.

The Town of North Judson is awarded $550,000 for drinking water system improvements. The project will build a new water well, add a backup generator for the water system and rehabilitate the town’s two water towers.

The Town of Trafalgar is awarded $700,000 for drinking water system improvements. This project will rehabilitate and replace the non-compliant, outdated and deteriorated parts of the town’s water system.

The Town of Versailles is awarded $550,000 for sanitary sewer improvements. This project will replace and rehabilitate manholes, sewer lines and a remote monitoring alarm data system for four lift stations.

The Town of Winamac is awarded $700,000 for wastewater improvements. This project will modify the existing wastewater stabilization lagoons.
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The Main Street Revitalization Program encourages communities with eligible populations to focus on long-term community development efforts. Eligible applicants had a designated active Indiana Main Street group in their community and the project must be a part of the Main Street’s overall strategy. Main Street Revitalization Program projects include streetscapes, facade renovations, and downtown infrastructure rehabilitation.

There are no projects that received Main Street Revitalization Program grant funding for this round.
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Funding for OCRA’s five CDBG programs originates from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant program. The Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs administers the program for the state of Indiana.