Pittsfield gets two grants,totaling $622,500
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By BETH ZUMWALT
The Pittsfield City council got good news at the Dec.7 meeting.
First, it was learned the city had received a $447,500 grant to replace Well #2 in the water system.
“Currently, Well 1 and Well 3 were keeping up with our demand and we have Pike County Water as an emergency back-up,” Gary Mendenhall, mayor, said. “But, we got a chance get this grant, which is 100 percent, there is no match money from us, we decided to apply for it.”
Well #2 has had its issues. When ever it was used at the proper pressure, the sand around the well would collapse.
Alderman Paul Lennon asked if this was common and Max Middendorf,the city’s engineer said the type of EPA test bore did not identify this as a potential issue.
“A new test bore on the new well, will identify if this is an issue,” Middendorf said.
The second grant, $$175,000 is to replace equipment at the airport, such as the tractor, mower,snow blade.It comes with a 10 percent match, meaning the city will have to come up with $17,500.
“I asked if we could trade our current equipment in on trade and use that as our match,” Mendenhall said. “They said no. So we are going to pay the $17,500 and then take the existing equipment and use it elsewhere in the city, like out at the lake or wherever it is needed.”
Mendenhall said the city’s airport engineer from the Federal Aviation Agency told him this type of grant doesn’t come along very often and the city should apply for it.
“We did and we got it,” Mendenhall said.
At the next council meeting,the council is expected to discuss a downtown revitalization grant.
“Hutchinson Engineering in Jacksonville is helping us,”Mendenhall said. “They will be at the next meeting with a mock-up of their plan.
Mendenhall said he expected the plans to include new water lines, new lights on the outside of the square that will duplicate those on the inside, new sidewalks, street improvements.
“Hutchinson knows how this works. They did one for Mt. Sterling and Jacksonville,” Mendenhall said.
Mendenhall said the grant application would need be turned in quickly with the grants being awarded in early 2022.
It was also announced Sam Zarr has been hired as the new city police officer. Zarr will attend the police academy starting Jan. 11.
Two candidates applying for the job scored exactly the same but the other candidate withdrew his application, leaving Zarr the most qualified candidate.
The meeting adjourned at 6:31 p.m.
