State approves increase to Fillmore stormwater grant

FILLMORE -- As good as the news was last month that the Town of Fillmore was set to get a substantial grant for a proposed stormwater project, the word from the state was even better on Friday.

Grant administrator Kristy Jerrell of West Central Indiana Economic Development learned that not only is the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) in the final stages of approving the grant, but it will be for $70,000 more than was originally requested.

The grant will now fund the project in the amount of $731,808.

"It's a Christmas present," Jerrell said excitedly.

OCRA project manager Laura Nading contacted Jerrell to confirm that the grant agreement and award letter were being drafted and about to be mailed.

While the original amount of the grant request was $661,808, costs have increased since the town applied in April 2010. The newly confirmed amount reflects these increases.

Perhaps the best news to Fillmore is this is that no local match is required for the grant. The full amount is guaranteed by the state, regardless of any local contributions.

Town officials anticipated the official announcement last month, when they passed a Fair Housing Ordinance, which must be in place for an entity to receive OCRA funds.

However, nothing was official at that time, and officials did not know if the requested increase would be approved.

The town has been working with Lori Young, president of Robert E. Curry and Associates, on some of the engineering surrounding the project.

During a recent walk-through of the town, the council and Young identified the likely project as running along Main Street from Cemetery Road in the north end of town, to south of Fillmore Elementary School.

The project will not only include the installation of storm sewers, but the necessary repaving of Main Street afterward.

Even before the surprise word came from OCRA last month, town officials had spoken with Curry and Associates about pursuing funding for stormwater, utility and street projects.

The town will continue to seek utility funds, as well as further stormwater money.

With any future money, town officials hope to extend the storm sewers farther north to Old Right of Way Road and the CSX Railroad crossing.

In the meantime, though, they will be quite happy with the holiday cheer that has already come their way.