Published: May 12, 2009 11:21 am         

City Council will seek CDBG housing funding

Monticello — Monticello City Council gave the preliminary go-ahead to seek CDBG

funding for an urban renewal housing project. The project would target a

specific area of the city, where dilapidated housing is a problem, and would

provide low to moderate income homeowners an opportunity to update the

property.

Chris Lowery, with Lowery and Associates, explained this type of project

during Monday night's meeting of the council. Lowery said she had reviewed

several areas of the city where there is older housing that needs updated.

Lowery said she saw as many as 250 homes along several streets in the city

that could be part of this type of project.

Lowery said that grants of up to $1 million are available for a

neighborhood type project. There could also be some additional funding that

would allow the project to include several other properties. The city would

have to provide some sort of match to the grant, but that could be in the

form of improvements to streets or sidewalks in the neighborhood.

Lowery said if there was interest, her firm would go ahead with some of

the procurement documents to begin the process. She noted this could be a

lengthy process to obtain funding. Council members suggested that the

project include the area around the rock quarry, if possible.

Also during Monday's meeting the council heard the first reading of the

budget ordinance for fiscal year 2010. The total general fund revenues for

2010 are $3,303,266, which includes approximately $1.6 million in grant

money for the streetscaping project in downtown Monticello.

Total estimated revenues in the water, sewer and garbage fund are

$3,607,722. Total estimated revenues in capital projects, which include

several water projects, a sewer project, and grant money for a fire truck

and police cars, totaled $3,856,150.

The first reading of the budget required no council action. It will need

a second reading and approval before taking effect.

In his report to the council, Monticello Mayor Kenneth Catron said the

streetscaping project could be ready for bids sometime this month.

He has talked with state officials about blacktopping Main Street in the

downtown area and has been told that it will likely be done in August.

Catron told council members that there are several city streets that need to

be blacktopped, and he asked the council to consider putting more money in

the budget for these repairs. He said he would bring specific streets, as

well as pictures, to the council next month.

Also during the meeting, the council:

€ Approved the reappointment of James Peters to the Monticello Utility

Commission.

€ Approved the reappointment of Greg Latham to the Industrial Authority.

€ Approved the appointment of Nancy Allen to the Monticello Housing

Authority.

€ Heard the first reading of an ordinance amending the fiscal year 2009

budget.

     

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