Clintonville would forego CDBG funds for fixing streets
By Bert Lehman
In order to move forward constructing a swimming pond, the city of Clintonville may apply for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to help fund the project.
At its Feb. 25 meeting, the Streets Committee recommended that the city forgo one round of trying to obtain CDBG funding for street repairs, and instead apply for that grant for a new swimming pond.
The city applies for the CDBG grant every two years.
“Looking at where we are on the swimming pond, and all the other things we have to do, like the million-dollar fire engine we’re going to have to buy, it doesn’t look like we’re going to be able to come up with all this money either by borrow or donations,” said Jim Supanich, chair of the Streets Committee.
City Administrator Sharon Eveland said that if the city applied for a CDBG grant in 2022 to help fund a swimming pond, the city would have to wait until 2024 before it could apply for the grant again for street projects.
She added that if the city was unsuccessful in obtaining the grant in 2022 for the swimming pond, it could apply for the grant again for street repair projects in 2023.
Committee member Tammy Strey-Hirt asked if the city is in a financial position to wait until 2024 to apply for the grant for street projects.
“There is need everywhere,” Eveland responded.
Setting priorities
Because all the departments in the city have needs, Eveland said the city council will have to prioritize where to spend its funds.
“The pool has been put off for so long, and it is just talk and no action,” Strey-Hirt said. “I think if we’re going to do something, we need to do it, like, now and quit talking about it.”
She added, “It’s unfortunate we have to pick and choose what’s more important, so I think sending it to council for the entire vote would be a good thing.”
Committee member Steve Kettenhoven said he agreed with Strey-Hirt.
“We definitely need to fix our streets, but the pool, the new recreational aquatic facility needs to get a priority,” Kettenhoven said. “We need to move it up to a No. 1 priority because it has sat for a long time.”
He said the council had already agreed to move forward with a swimming pond.
“Now we need to really put it into action,” Kettenhoven said.
Supanich said if the city does not use CDBG grant funds to help pay for a swimming pond, the swimming pond project will never be completed.
If Clintonville forgoes one round of CDBG funding for street projects, the city can continue to do smaller-scale street repair projects in the meantime. Only the major projects would be pushed back.