Investment to Purchase Maintenance and Public Safety Equipment
COLUMBIA, MO, Oct. 15, 2020 – The Trump Administration, along with Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director for Missouri Jeff Case, today announced that the USDA is investing $160,688 to modernize maintenance and public safety equipment in Wellsville and Jonesburg.
“Missouri’s rural residents deserve modern infrastructure, equipment, and public safety services in the communities they call home,” said Trump Administration Official State Director Case. “Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Perdue, USDA has been working tirelessly to be a strong partner to rural Missouri communities, like Wellsville and Jonesburg, in building stronger and healthier communities, because we know when rural America thrives, all of America thrives.”
The city of Wellsville will use a $128,000 Community Facilities Grant to purchase a backhoe and skid-loader to better maintain city roads and property. The equipment currently used by the city has multiple mechanical issues, needs repairs, and is not cost effective. Purchasing this equipment will allow city personnel to address maintenance issues more efficiently and effectively, ultimately allowing the city to better deliver these essential community services to more than 1,200 Wellsville citizens.
The city of Jonesburg will use a $32,688 Community Facilities Grant to purchase a law enforcement vehicle and zero-turn lawn mower. The patrol vehicle and lawn mower will replace models that are aging and no longer operational or reliable. This purchase will allow city personnel to better maintain city property and for law enforcement personnel to better protect the 760 citizens that call Jonesburg home.
Funding for today’s announcement was made available through the $150 million in grants included in the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act that President Trump signed into law on June 6, 2019. These grants are to help eligible rural communities continue their recovery from the devastating effects of hurricanes, fires, and other natural disasters such as recent years’ severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding in Missouri.
Currently, Missouri has 84 counties included in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Major Disaster Declarations; view the complete list of the state’s designated counties.
More than 100 types of projects are eligible for Community Facilities funding. Eligible applicants include municipalities, public bodies, nonprofit organizations, and federally recognized Native American tribes. Projects must be in eligible rural areas with a population of 20,000 or less. Grant applications will be accepted on a continual basis until funds are exhausted.
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas.
Contact USDA Rural Development
Information on programs available through USDA Rural Development is available by visiting www.rd.usda.gov/mo, by calling (573) 876-0976, or by emailing RDMissouri@usda.gov.
USDA Rural Development has 25 offices across the state to serve the 2.2 million residents living in rural Missouri. Office locations include a state office in Columbia, along with local offices in Butler, Charleston, Chillicothe, Clinton, Dexter, Eldon, Farmington, Higginsville, Houston, Kennett, Kirksville, Maryville, Mexico, Moberly, Neosho, New London, Poplar Bluff, Richmond, Rolla, Sedalia, Springfield, St. Joseph, Troy, and West Plains.
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