Ivey awards nearly $17.5M for improvement projects

Some 44 towns, cities and counties will see improvements in their roads, sewer systems and recreation facilities thanks to nearly $17.5 million in grants, Gov. Kay Ivey announced.

The Community Development Block Grants will enable local governments to pave or resurface roads, eliminate blight and drainage problems, improve water or sewer service and build or improve local community centers and playgrounds.

“Community Development Block Grants annually assist our local governments with some of their most pressing needs and projects that may be out of reach of their own budgets,” Ivey said. “I am honored to award these funds for projects that will make a positive impact in communities across our great state.”

The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grants from funds made available by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. ADECA administers a wide range of programs that support law enforcement, victim assistance programs, economic development, water resource management, energy conservation and recreation.

“Many of those local governments that surveyed their most critical needs and took the time and effort to complete CDBG applications are seeing that hard work pay off with today’s announcement,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “ADECA joins Gov. Ivey in full support of these projects.

“I also encourage those governments that fell short of receiving funding to persevere and continue applying for these all-important funds.”

CDBG are awarded annually on a competitive basis and in several categories to ensure local governments of all sizes have opportunities to be awarded funds. Those categories are Small City – populations of 3,000 and below; Large City- populations of 3,001 and above; County – awarded to counties for projects mainly in unincorporated areas; Community Enhancement – projects that extend beyond infrastructure improvement; and Planning Fund – projects that enable governments to map out goals, long-range plans and downtown revitalization projects.

The grant winners are:

Small City

• Centreville – $400,000 to rehabilitate a drainage system in a densely populated low-income area on the city’s west side along Maple and Mill streets.
• Collinsville – $400,000 to replace damaged sewer lines and manhole covers to get the system in compliance with state environmental regulations.
• Cordova – $368,000 to demolish and clear about 30 dilapidated structures in the downtown area.
• Glenwood– $400,000 to construct a new pumping station for the sewage system which serves more than 200 customers.
• Kinston- $400,000 to rehabilitate several occupied houses throughout the town. Property owners are required to provide matches for improvements made as part of the program.
• Level Plains– $400,000 to provide water system improvements involving connecting residents with inadequate water pressure with larger water lines in the area along Center Street.
• Lynn – $397,000 to install new water lines along Long Street and Third Avenue West and add four fire hydrants.
• McKenzie– $400,000 to rehabilitate sections of the town’s water system and resurface several streets.
• Nauvoo– $305,463 to demolish and clear two dilapidated structures – the old junior high school and a vacant church— both in the downtown area.
• Notasulga– $281,522 to improve the town’s water system by installing cutoff valves throughout the system to minimize water flow disruption.
• Orrville – $400,000 to resurface about 1.4 miles of city streets including Academy Street Connector, Pine Street, Church Street and Dallas County Road 68/120.
• Parrish– $400,000 to improve four city streets and improve drainage along those streets.
• Pine Hill – $400,000 to install larger water lines in the Sandpit Road community to increase water flow and firefighting capabilities. The project will also involve resurfacing the road.
• Susan Moore – $400,000 to replace water lines along Wilson Chapel and Burgett roads.
• York – $400,000 to resurface and repair along numerous streets in the town.

Large City

• Atmore – $500,000 to provide storm drainage improvements in northeastern Atmore in an area around Carver Avenue.
• Calera – $500,000 to rehabilitate the sewer system in the southwestern quadrant of the city. The project involves replacing sewer lines and replacing and renovating manholes.
• Childersburg – $500,000 to improve the city’s sewer system by replacing six key sewer lift stations and other advances to prevent backflows of sewage.
• Daleville– $177,210 to demolish 10 dilapidated structures mostly along Daleville Avenue.
• Haleyville – $500,000 for street and water system improvements on three housing authority properties.
• Headland– – $500,000 to rehabilitate several occupied houses and to resurface Boynton Street.
• Loxley– $500,000 to replace old sewer lines and manholes on the city’s west side along North Holley Street.
• Ozark– $375,168 to resurface Hull Street, West Parker Street, West Reynolds Street, Boykin Avenue, Simmons Avenue and Troy Street.
• Selma– $500,000 for housing rehabilitation and dilapidated structure demolition in the neighborhood bounded by Voeglin Avenue, Marie Foster Street, Philpot Avenue and Washington Street.
• Valley Grande – $500,000 to resurface Merrifield, Overlook and Hillandale drives.

County

• Chilton County – $400,000 to extend public water service to more than 100 residents along Chilton County roads 16 and 26 in the southwest part of the county.
• Cullman County – $500,000 to resurface and provide drainage improvements on 2.6 miles of Cullman County Road 1490 in the Gold Ridge Community.
• Lowndes County – $500,000 to resurface Percy Johnson Road, Golson Road East and Collirene Cutoff Road.
• Montgomery County – $500,000 to rehabilitate 24 occupied houses in unincorporated areas of the county.
• Tuscaloosa County – $400,000 for the rehabilitation of nearly a dozen streets in the Holt community.

Community Enhancement

• Autauga County– $400,000 for the revitalization of Old Kingston Park in the Old Kingston community.
• Clayton – $400,000 to resurface all or part of North Armory Street and Oak Avenue, Jennings Street and Westfield Court and Petty Drive.
• Elmore (Town of) – $400,000 to construct a 2,000-square-foot community center to replace one that was closed for structural deficiencies.
• Fort Deposit – $400,000 to improve drainage in three targeted areas of the town.
• Gordonville – $400,000 to construct a community park that will include a walking trail, playground, tennis court and covered pavilion.
• Grove Hill – $400,000 to resurface Callier Street, Carter Drive, 4H Street, Ray Street, Ezell Street, Pritchett Street, Morris Street and Portis Street.
• Guntersville – $312,013 to renovate the weather-damaged community center which also serves as a senior citizen center.
• Millbrook – $166,500 to demolish and clear up to 15 abandoned and dilapidated structures throughout the city.
• Pike Road – $400,000 to construct an all-inclusive playground that is accessible to children of all abilities.
• Rutledge – $350,000 to demolish an abandoned water tower and other old and non-occupied structures in the town.
• Silas – $400,000 to construct a multi-use community park to be constructed on property at the intersection of Alabama Highway 17 and Choctaw County Road 6.
• Slocomb– $400,000 to resurface all or part of Railroad Avenue, Noma Road (Geneva County Road 91), South Kelly Street and East Cox Street.
• Talladega – $400,000 to demolish and clear up to 60 abandoned and dilapidated structures in the northwest part of the city.

Planning Fund

• Pine Ridge – $40,000 to develop a comprehensive plan outlining the town’s goals, policies and needs for the next 10-15 years.