Mt. Vernon to apply for grant funding for potential city projects

Hickory Street could get two blocks of new sidewalks and lighting, at a cost of $100,000 per block
 
Mt. Vernon will apply for two separate grants to get funding to pay for two city improvement projects.
The Mt. Vernon Board of Aldermen approved two resolutions authorizing the city to apply for the grants during their meeting on Tuesday, July 12.
The first grant the city is applying for is funding through MoDOT’s Transportation Alternative Program (TAP). Joe Kelley, city administrator, told board members during the meeting that, if the city is awarded the grant, the funds would be used to replace the sidewalks spanning two city blocks on Hickory, just south of the square. New lighting would also be installed. While discussing the grant with the board, Kelley mentioned that the cost of the project would be $100,000 per city block.
According to information found in the grant application, the city would be responsible for 25-percent of the project’s total cost, plus all costs exceeding the total project cost in the submitted application.
The second grant would come through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Financial Assistance Center’s State American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), and, if awarded, the city would use the funds to pay for “completion of a lead service line inventory, or a drinking water, wastewater, and/or a stormwater project.” In his report, Kelley stated a resolution authorizing the application was a requirement of the application process.
During the meeting, Kelley also told the board that the application process for both grants was competitive, so there is no guarantee that the city will be awarded the grants.

Bid deadline for Missouri Drive extended; expenditures approved:
In other business, Kelley told the board that Anderson Engineering had extended the bid opening for Missouri Drive by three weeks until Aug. 9 to give contractors more time to get prices so they could submit bids. Kelley said Anderson reported the extension was necessary because of supply issues the contractors were facing.
The board also approved the purchase of a new transformer to be installed for the new Hurricane Bay Carwash at a cost of $26,329. Public Works Director Dustin Davis told the board that the listed price for the transformer was $22,895, but he was factoring in an extra 15-percent in case the seller was to raise the transformer’s price. Additionally, the board also approved spending $8,358 for the purchase of chemicals for the golf course.