Town votes to participate in grant for new PSA well
The grant application was adjusted to $690,000 and the 20% match from the Town would be $140,000 for one water well to be drilled.
During the March 19 meeting of Floyd Town Council, the council voted in favor of supporting a 20% match for a grant for a new well in the county.
Mike Maslaney, chairman of the Floyd-Floyd County Public Service Authority (PSA) asked to be added to the Town Council agenda on Thursday, March 19, to discuss a congressional funding opportunity with a pending deadline of Monday morning, March 23.
The Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) program is a program where an amount of money is allotted to each Senator and House of Representatives for discretionary spending within their own district.
“It’s fully discretionary, so each year they go through this process of soliciting grants,” Maslaney said. “The CDS grant, if awarded, would be through the Department of Interior - EPA, State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG), Clean Water SRF.”
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While giving background during the meeting, Maslaney referenced that the plan was to approach the Floyd County Board of Supervisors and the Town Council about the need for two new wells to be drilled in Floyd County. Each grant requires a pledged 20% match to be paid when the grant is awarded. The original amount that the PSA was going to go for would be $1.5 million, making the 20% match $300,000 to split between the PSA, Floyd County, and Floyd Town Council.
“We have four of our five wells that have been decreasing in capability over the last 20 to 40 years and they’re down at least 50% from when we initially drilled them back in the 1970s and 80s,” Maslaney said during the meeting. “We have to keep our water supply going. Of course this significantly impacts economic development, housing projects and a lot of things. We’re not in the dyer stage and I’m not here to ring that bell, but we’re in the ‘we need to pay attention’ stage.”
The grant application, however, had a two week turnaround, and the Floyd County Board of Supervisors withdrew their participation for the 20% match for the original $1.5 million pledge.
“One of the board of supervisors called me and explained the situation to me,” Maslaney said. “I do understand their hesitancy and the fact that they would like to discuss everything before an application would be submitted. Unfortunately, that was not possible this time.”
Maslaney was set to present to the Board of Supervisors at their Tuesday, March 24, meeting. The grant application was adjusted to $690,000 and the 20% match would be $140,000 for one water well to be drilled.
“I would think for the 690 and 140, you could count us in for a partner,” Mayor Will Griffin said in the meeting.
The Council voted unanimously in favor of writing a support letter for the 20% match for the grant for one new well to be in the county.
“Our community has to have a functioning water system to remain viable and sustainable,” Griffin said. “Town council accepts that we have a responsibility to assist wherever we can. It seems irresponsible to pass on an opportunity that provides $80 free and clear for every $20 we can supply.”
Mayor Griffin and Councilman Bruce Turner also sit on the board of the PSA in Floyd.
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While only applying for one well to be drilled this year through the grant process, the PSA has the ability to apply for another grant next year for more wells.
“When they start the selection process, there is going to be formal letters from everybody pleading the amount of the match and any other things that they need,” Maslaney added during the meeting. “The reason is, they actually write these grants into law and they pass a bill in Congress and your name gets on that bill. So you can understand when they start writing these bills they want to understand that those people on the Bills are the people because there is no turning back at that point.”
There is not an exact time frame for when the funds would be awarded from the grant to begin the process of drilling a new well, however Maslaney quoted that the bill would be taken through its formal process beginning in August.
