News
»City told, “cancelling grant was a wise move”
Posted Local at Feb 16, 2011
At their Feb. 9, regular city council meeting, the Martin City Council was informed of a letter from a HUD official that cancelling the HUD’s HOPE VI Main Street grant was a wise move on the City’s part.
According to the letter from Lawrence Gnessin, Main Street Program Manager with HUD in Washington, D.C., one of the considerations that had led to the grant award in the first place was the application’s statement of the availability of $700,000 in CDBG funds. The City of Martin did not have any CDBG funds committed to them and in fact, there was no application submitted to receive CDBG funds by the city or anyone connected to the grant writing for the Main Street project.
The letter states that those funds are now not available for this HOPE VI Main Street development. Considering the HOPE VI Main Street grant’s requirements and restrictions, this grant would no longer suit the City’s larger Main Street development plans.
The letter ended by stating, “Requesting cancellation of the grant before signing the Grant Agreement is a wise move on the City’s part.”
The City had earlier in the year decided to turn the grant down after reviewing and carefully considering what they would need to do. They had informed HUD of their intentions and that was followed up by a letter from HUD.
Council members requested the letter be entered as part of the minutes of the meeting.
The Main Street project would entail turning the old Gambles building or another building, into affordable housing, with additional improvements made to the area, including sidewalk and lighting upgrades. The council turned down the grant citing too many strings attached.
In other council action, they voted to accept a SuperAWOS unit from the South Dakota Dept. of Transportation. An AWOS is an automated weather observation System that is a self-contained weather reporting unit to be installed at the airport.
The unit will assist pilots, such as the life flights that fly into the Martin Airport by giving them critical readings such as wind speed and temperature. The instrument costs $75,000 but is given to the City and all they have to pay for is the installation, backup satellite communication after the first year, power to the device and an internet connection at the airport. Once it is installed, the information will be available on a website. Some are now listed by going to http://potomacaviation.com/select.asp.
The council approved an election agreement with the school for the April 12 city and school elections.
City Park vandalism was discussed again with councilperson Tootie Moffitt saying the trees need to be replaced with trees that are similar to those destroyed and she added, “I think the person needs to plant them themselves.”
Apparently the police know who destroyed the trees and have been working with the family to take care of the situation.
Rich Toczek and Jack Audiss approached the City about the liquor store informing them the American Legion is interested in having it and moving it to their facility.
City Council president Dave Bakley said they would need to put it up for bids and leasing the license and said they are not at the point yet, saying it’s on the back burner.
Toczek asked how soon they would be looking at leasing it if they decided to go that route.
Bakley said he believes there are half a dozen people interested in it besides the Legion and said they could put it on the agenda for March for more discussion. The council agreed the lease would need to be put out to bid eventually.
There was a lengthy discussion of past due water bills with talk of raising the deposit on hookups. Those not paying and shutoff will be turned over to small claims and others not paying and falling past due will face being shut off.
Patty Hammond approached the city about assistance in putting in a botanical garden on Main Street next to the old Martin Floral building.
Hammond said she purchased the lot and wants to help beautify the area with flowers and landscaping and is looking for help from the City in the form of donating water and paying for the electrical needed. She said she will be looking for donations from other groups and businesses around Martin to help make it happen and help beautiful Main Street.
Jason Schoch said it will be a community space and the goal is to build it so the city can use it for about anything. He said it is also a great project to get the community and kids involved in.
The council asked them to come back to another meeting in the near future for more discussion and told them it sounded like a very good project.
City police chief Larry Petersen said its been real busy around town with some issues of domestic violence and assaults. The vandalism is down, but he said he is concerned with the domestic violence cases.
Petersen and County Sheriff Luke Hamar said they are working together with schedules to make sure the city and county are covered as well as can be with the number of officers. Both cited a good working relationship with the departments.
The next regular council meeting is March 9 at 5:30 p.m.