Looking at possible total system upgrade
The Jay council held a public meeting last Thursday, July 25, to in form residents of the status of a grant application with the USDA Rural Development Program and how the town is addressing the water distribution system's replacement project.
Technical assistance provider Mary Gavin, from Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project and Jeff Archer, area director of the USDA Rural Development Program out of Crestview are working with Jay Operations Manager Eric Seib to address the sources of possible funding.
The sources are: the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and a USDA Rural Development Grant.
“The purpose of the public meeting is to make the public aware of the project's scope and the application's status, and if there are any environmental or economic impacts to the project,” said Gavin.
“Economically, there are questions such as, is debt going to be incurred as a result of the project? Environmentally, we can ask what if there are archeological impacts of the projects?”
The application status currently is a setting aside of the funds (precursor to obligation of the funds)
Initially, the town was looking at a partial replacement of the water system, then Gavin said she thought a full replacement might be possible.
“What we looked at is to go ahead and replace it all and use grant funds to match grant funds with the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG),” said Gavin. “When we look at eligibility, we look at 75 percent of the total project cost,” she said. “With that $600,000 added to $1.2 million, the total project cost will be $2,194,900. The town can be eligible for up to 75 percent grants, but is driven by financial needs assessment,” said Gavin. “They look at things like the current user rate being paid, any operations maintenance costs, any short-lived asset replacements, things like that. We've been working through that process.”
Gavin said Archer submitted the project proposal to the state underwriters, and although she could not say how much she thought may be approved, she does think there will be a good grant to match the CDBG.
The next step in the process is to issue a 'Letter of Conditions' outlining the conditions of approval that must be met prior to the start of construction.
Seib said the state department asked the State Historic Preservation Officers (SHPO) for a review of the Jay area, and they wanted an archeological survey. Seib said he told them it was a closely-defined project and now the town is waiting to hear that no survey is necessary.
Gavin said after they receive the authority from the underwriters, the process will go forward.
“They really want to do this before Aug. 10,”said Gavin. “No later than Aug. 5, we should be here issuing letter conditions.”
Archer said that after Jay receives the environmental letter, it is important to push forward quickly.
The next council meeting is at 6 p.m., Monday, August 5.
