PUBLIC HEARING NOTES – VILLAGE OF TAMPICO
TUESDAY – October 21, 2014 AT 7:00 P.M.
The Public Hearing for the CDAP Grant with DCEO opened at 7:10 PM by Sharon Pepin, Grant Writer, Community Funding and Planning Services.
Purpose of Public Hearing –
The Village of Tampico is holding a Public Hearing to obtain citizens’ views on the submission of a Community Development Assistance Program (CDAP) Emergency Public Infrastructure grant application from the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO) for a new Warning Siren System. This public hearing is a requirement of the grant program, and is the first of two Citizen Participation Public Hearings. Specific program and project information is discussed below.
Range of Activities Funded Through These Grant Programs –
The CDBG program is funded by Title I of the Federal Housing & Community Development Act of 1974, as amended. The State of Illinois’ CDBG program is known as the Community Development Assistance Program (CDAP). Through this program, funds are available to assist Illinois communities meet their greatest economic and community development needs, with an emphasis upon helping persons of low-to-moderate income.
To ensure the State’s CDAP program meets the intent of the Federal Housing & Community Development Act, Congress has required the program meet at least one of the following three national objectives: benefiting low-to-moderate income persons; aiding in the prevention or elimination of slums and blight; or meeting other community development needs that pose a serious and immediate threat to the health and welfare of the community.
To complement these federally-mandated objectives, DCEO has established the following specific objectives for the CDAP program: Strengthening community economic development through the creation of jobs, stimulation of private investment and strengthening the tax base; Improvement of public infrastructure and elimination of conditions which are detrimental to health, safety and public welfare; and, Conservation and expansion of the state’s housing stock in order to provide a decent home and a suitable living environment for persons of low-to-moderate income and the developmentally disabled.
Eligible activities funded under the Emergency Public Infrastructure component include water, sanitary sewer and storm sewer projects that involve the acquisition, construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, demolition or installation of public infrastructure or improvements to ensure and improve the health and public safety of residents.
Amount of Funds Available –
Each year, the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity establishes funds for each of their CDAP program categories. This year, the state’s allocation is estimated at $26,000,000. A breakdown of each program category’s funding allotment is as follows: Economic Development – $4,600,000, maximum grant amount is $750,000; Public Infrastructure – $11,000,000, maximum Construction grant amount is $450,000, maximum
Village of Tampico – Public Hearing – Storm Siren Grant, cont’d.
Design Engineering & Construction grant amount is $450,000; Housing Rehabilitation – $6,000,000, maximum grant amount is $400,000; and Emergency Public Infrastructure – $4,000,000, maximum grant amount is $200,000; Approximately $900,000 is set aside for State administration.
Proposed Benefit To Low-and-Moderate Income Persons –
The Village conducted a community-wide income survey in June 2009 that documented a 66.5% low-to-moderate income household benefit. Tampico’s proposed grant application project includes the purchase and installation of a new warning siren system, which will benefit the entire community.
Plans For Minimizing Displacement –
No displacement is anticipated as a result of this project.
Detailed Prioritized List of Community Development Needs –
The Village has identified the following community development projects that they intend to focus their efforts on:
• Sanitary sewer improvements
• Lift station improvements
• Downtown improvements
• Park improvements
• Sidewalk improvements
• Roadway improvements
The Village’s application is for the purchase and installation of a new Storm Warning Siren System. The completion of the proposed project will help address health and safety concerns with regards to warning residents when a severe storm is near. The current siren system in the Village has failed to sound in the past due to the fact that it is a turn-key siren. When a severe storm is approaching the current siren has to be manually turned on to sound. The proposed siren system can be activated to sound remotely and will be connected to the Village’s Fire Department backup generator in case of a power outage.
The purchase and installation of a new warning siren system is estimated to cost $18,450.00. Tampico is applying to DCEO for a Community Development Assistance Program Emergency Public Infrastructure grant in the amount of $8,650, which is 47% of the project cost and includes funds for administration of the grant. The amount of CDAP funds to be used for the new siren that will benefit low-to-moderate income persons is roughly $5,420. The Village submitted a pre-application to USDA for a Rural Development, Community Facility Grant. USDA has invited the Village to submit a full application for the Siren System. The Village’s application is for $9,800, which is 53% of the project costs.
The public may access the Village’s Community Development Assistance Program grant application by contacting the Village Clerk at 815-438-2505 to arrange a time. A complete copy
Village of Tampico – Public Hearing – Storm Siren Grant, of the grant application will be available at Village Hall after October 27, 2014.
Questions / Comments. One question was asked by resident, Tracy Keele. Keele advised those present she is a trained weather spotter that works with Whiteside County. She stated she hoped this would help Tampico give advance notice of approaching severe weather. She said she reported a storm approaching Tampico to Whiteside County earlier in the summer and the Tornado Siren never sounded.
Mayor Hill advised Keele, it was a failure on the part of the siren. Hill also told Keele if and when the village receives grant funding for a newer warning siren, most issues will be taken care of such as placing the siren at the fire station with access to a generator in case of a power failure and the added feature of sounding the alarm with remote access from anywhere.
The hearing closed at 7:25 PM.
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Kathy A. Leathers
Village Clerk
