Projects Will Help Benefit Than 25,000 Rural Missourians
COLUMBIA, MO, Nov. 19, 2021 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Missouri Acting State Director D Clark Thomas announced $1,116,490 is being invested into nine projects statewide to improve essential community services and infrastructure in rural Missouri.
“USDA Rural Development’s Community Facilities program provides affordable funding options to help develop essential community facilities and services in rural areas,” said Thomas. “Investments like the nine announced today help increase the competitiveness of rural communities all across Missouri and will ultimately benefit 25,726 rural Missourians.”
USDA is making the awards under the Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program. The funding will modernize infrastructure and improve essential community services such as health care, education, and emergency response services. Investments in Missouri include:
- The city of Bloomfield will use an $84,000 grant to purchase a backhoe loader. This modern equipment will assist city personnel deliver essential community services such as applying asphalt for street repairs, ditching to assist with drainage issues, cleaning of storm drains, and other needed projects.
- A $14,300 grant will go to Princeton R-V School District to purchase a passenger vehicle. Princeton R-V School District is one of the largest rural districts in the state in terms of geographical area covered and serves 326 students in grades K-12. This additional passenger vehicle will be used to transport smaller groups to events, for teachers attending professional development training, to deliver meals, and for schoolwork delivery to students with no internet access. Having an additional vehicle will give staff the option to utilize a more economical and environmentally friendly transportation option, reduce budget pressures on the district's transportation department, and address bus driver shortages.
- The city of Annapolis will use a $53,500 grant used to purchase a maintenance vehicle, snowplow, and salt spreader. This equipment will assist with maintenance of the city's roads, city hall, and other public buildings and improve residents’ safety during inclement weather.
- A $82,540 grant will go to Zalma Fire Protection District to assist with the purchase of 20 full turnout gear sets and 13 complete SCBA packs. The district's current equipment is aging, and new equipment will aid in keeping firefighters safe while delivering, performing, and providing essential community services to local residents.
- East Prairie Municipal Corporation will use a $92,600 loan and $45,000 grant to purchase four maintenance vehicles and two snowplow attachments that will be leased to and used by the city of East Prairie. The vehicles will be used to address municipal maintenance issues throughout the city and the snowplow attachments will help clear city streets during dangerous snowy conditions that currently are difficult to address with older units.
- The city of Hayti will use $80,400 in grant funds to purchase equipment for the city's street department and 15 full turnout gear sets for its fire department. Hayti's current skid steer is aging, and the city street department also needs a confined space tripod, which is used in combination with a harness to lower personnel into storm drains to clean out debris. This is vital, as it aids in the prevention of roads being flooded during heavy rain events. The city's fire department will replace outdated turnout gear, allowing firefighters to not only be better protected but also match and easily identify teammates in the event of a mutual aid calls that involve additional departments.
- A $75,000 grant will go to the city of Grant City to purchase a new dump truck and backhoe, replacing models that are nearing the end of their useful lives. Both the dump truck and backhoe will be used to haul rocks, haul salt, plow snow, clear ditches, and work with all city departments, providing essential community services to Grant City residents.
- The city of Granby will use a $30,700 grant to purchase a law enforcement vehicle as it currently only has two reliable patrol vehicles for its staff of nine law enforcement personnel.
- An $85,200 grant will go to Houston R-1 School District to purchase a walk-in refrigerator/freezer for the cafeteria, a new plasma cutter for the agricultural and shop classes, and 16 HVAC units for the elementary and Vo-Tech buildings. The current refrigerator/freezer is aging, and repairs are becoming excessive. The HVAC units are also aging, require frequent repairs, and are not very energy efficient. The agricultural/shop classes need a plasma cutter to be used as a teaching tool for projects that require metal cutting; this will enhance the student experience by learning a new skill and allowing classes to complete more projects than the current equipment allows.
- Union Township of Dunklin County will use a $473,250 grant to replace older maintenance equipment that is at the end of its useful life. A new backhoe, two new road graders, and a newer dump truck will provide more reliable maintenance equipment and eliminate the need to rent this type of machinery. Union Township's roads, bridges, and culverts were severely impacted by torrential rains and flooding that occurred in recent years, thereby causing equipment use to increase exponentially; with increased usage comes increased wear and breakdown.
Today’s announcement comes as part of a larger, nationwide announcement from USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development Xochitl Torres Small where she announced $222 million will be invested in rural community infrastructure to help people in 44 states, Guam and Puerto Rico while visiting the nearly complete CMH Willard Medical Center and Walk-In Clinic in Willard, Missouri.
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.
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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