Investment to Assist Communities located in Forest, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawano & Waupaca Counties
STEVENS POINT, Wis., Oct. 5, 2020 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Wisconsin Rural Development State Director Frank Frassetto announced that the USDA is investing $2.1 million to improve public safety equipment, community buildings and education.
“These investments will allow these rural communities provide safe, modern equipment and supplies to service and meet the needs in their residents,” Frassetto said. “Through our Community Facilities programs, USDA Rural Development partners with communities to maximize the affordability of their infrastructure needs. Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Perdue, we have been working tirelessly to be a strong partner to rural Wisconsin in building stronger and healthier communities, because we know when rural America thrives, all of America thrives.”
Tigerton School District received a $72,000 grant to upgrade and enhance the technical educational department. The technical education department has been growing, along with class sizes and has been an educational foundation for the students. This project will include the purchase of a plasma cutter and router table, computers, 3D resin printer and vinyl printer/cutter. These purchases will sustain the department, assist in the affordability to add more equipment, skills and overall knowledge to the student base and replace equipment that is out of date and no longer useful.
The Village of Tigerton received a $168,000 grant to construct a building to house public works equipment. The existing facility contains the Village Hall, Police Department, Fire Department and Public Works Garage. It is too small to house the existing equipment and provide space for additional equipment needed. The current lack of space impacts emergency services response time when vehicles need to be moved for other vehicles to get in or out. This new building will free up space in the existing facility for the Fire Department and Emergency Rescue vehicles and equipment.
The Town of Laona received a $100,000 grant to purchase new street equipment. The town covers 60+ miles of road and is replacing its 2008 road maintenance patrol-dump truck to improve reliability and reduce annual maintenance costs.
The Town of Popple River received a $100,000 grant to purchase a new plow truck. The Town's existing plow truck is unreliable and needs to be replaced due to its age and condition. The box on the truck is rusted out which makes sanding the roads very difficult with a lot of shoveling involved. This investment will increase response time and create a safer environment for school bus operators, mail delivery and residents.
The City of Clintonville received a $100,000 grant to purchase a jetter truck for the wastewater utility department. The city plans to purchase a new jetter truck, as the current one needs costly repairs, that will be used to maintain the 20 miles of sewer lines essential to keeping the city's infrastructure maintained and safe for community residents.
The City of Marion received a $ 1,050,000 loan and a $250,000 grant to construct a municipal garage. The public works building, built in the 1950's, lacks the needed space and has safety concerns. The facility does not have an air exchange unit so the crew is breathing in potentially hazardous air, does not have handicap accessible restrooms and is severely overcrowded which poses a hazardous environment to work in. The new facility will be built to the current energy code in WI providing a safe working environment for staff, will be large enough for both staff and equipment and will be built on a site with room for expansion to allow the future needs of the city.
The Village of Suring received a $46,000 grant to purchase new equipment for the Suring public safety department. The department is in need of a new squad car that will replace their 7-year-old vehicle that is nearing the end of its useful life, in need of repairs and has equipment that is out of date and requires parts that are no longer available. The new vehicle will be outfitted with a band radio, mobile laptop, security cages and portable emergency light bars.
The Town of Wabeno received a $125,000 loan and a $250,000 grant to construct a town garage/public works building. The existing facility is outdated, dilapidated, lacks the space for current and future needs and is in a residential area between two parks. The new facility would be located on the edge of town near the recycling center and salt building which will allow for a larger building with more space for vehicles/equipment, an office, restroom and mechanical room. This project is imperative to the growth and sustainability of the whole town.
The Village of Nichols received a $82,000 loan and a $238,000 grant to upgrade and expand the village hall. The facility does not meet the needs of the village staff and needs remodeling and expansion. Storage is located at a separate facility due to a lack of space and there is not enough space for public events and meetings. Upgrades/expansion will include adding approximately 1,500 sq. ft. of space, furnishings, upgrades to the furnace to handle the extra space, a back-up generator and new flooring to replace tiles that are cracked and breaking up. The expansion will allow space for offices with multiple workstations, an enclosed vestibule with a service window for visitors, records storage and meeting space for community use.
Today’s announcement includes funding from the Community Facilities Loan and Grant Program and 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.
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. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov/wi, call us at 715-345-7600 or email wi-rd-stateoffice@usda.gov.
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