Funding will Help Provide Emergency Response Services and Public Works Departments
STEVENS POINT, Wis., June 23, 2021 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Wisconsin Rural Development Acting State Director Michelle Wallace announced that USDA is investing $185 million to equip, rebuild, and modernize essential services in rural areas of 32 states. The investments will benefit 3 million rural residents.
“USDA is committed to ensuring that rural Wisconsinites can build back better and stronger,” said Wallace. “These grants will help rural communities invest in equipment that will assist in providing essential and vital services, such as police departments and other community equipment and vehicle needs.”
USDA is investing in the projects listed below through the Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program. 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 rural areas with a population of 20,000 or less.
The Town of Amberg will use a $50,000 grant to purchase a truck and equipment for the public works department. The new truck will be used for the entire township including snow plowing streets and alleys in the downtown section of the town, as well as on pothole patching and hauling an equipment trailer which carries the culvert-thawing equipment in late winter and early spring. The town 's existing one-ton truck has 160,000 miles, is at the end of its useful life and experiences many repairs. The new vehicle will be a one-ton truck with plow and dump box, will be able to do smaller jobs and take some of the wear and tear off the larger dump trucks that are also in need of being replaced. This project will benefit 730 residents.
The Village of Warrens will use a $24,000 grant to purchase a garbage truck. The current truck is a 1995 Freightliner that is in poor shape, has many mechanical issues, rusted out holes in the floor where the garbage is collected and repairs can no longer be made as parts are scarce due to the age of the vehicle. This project includes the purchase of a used 2005 garbage truck that has been well maintained and has features that the old truck does not have such as a lifter in the back of the truck to squeeze and lift garbage cans for emptying and can be used for both garbage and recycling. There are approximately 185 stops on the garbage route with the same number of rolling and lidded cans being funded by the project as well. This project will benefit 360 residents.
The Village of Suring will use a $131,000 grant to fund a new public works department truck equipped with dump box, front snowplow, wing plow and other street maintenance equipment. The new truck will replace a 23-year-old truck that has reached the end of its useful life and is difficult and costly to repair due to the vehicle's age. A well-equipped and reliable truck is needed to keep the village streets, state highway that runs thru the village, all parking lots and wells and wastewater treatment facilities access roads clear of snow for the villages 600 residents.
The City of Gillett will use a $27,000 grant to purchase equipment for the city of Gillett Police Department (PD). The PD needs a new squad/SUV to replace their vehicle that has over 100,000 miles and is incurring major repair expenses that takes the SUV out of commission for periods of time, cutting down on the visible patrol of the PD. The police SUV is used for emergency calls and patrolling within the city limits as well as mutual aid for surrounding communities. This vehicle will meet specifications for safety and will be outfitted with proper police equipment including lighting and sirens to serve over 1,400 residents.
To learn more about Community Facilities Program funding opportunities, contact our office at 715-345-7600 or wi-rd-stateoffice@usda.gov and visit our website www.rd.usda.gov/wi. Also see the Community Facilities Direct Loan Program Guidance Book for Applicants for a detailed overview of the application process.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans 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, Tribal and high-poverty areas.
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