The City of Phillipsburg mailed your water bill in an envelope on April 30th, along with an important survey. We need every Phillipsburg water user to complete the survey so we can prove Phillipsburg is eligible to apply for grant funds the Kansas Small Cities Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. Grant funds are critical to municipalities in helping keep utility rates and taxes lower to their citizens.
To be eligible to apply, the City must show that users of city services meet certain income requirements. Rather than asking for specific income numbers, the survey only asks which income group your family belongs. The income groups vary depending on the number of people in your family.
Without everyone’s participation, the City cannot submit their CDBG application and won’t be able to apply for grant funds. Therefore, it is critical that all city water users complete the survey and return it to the city office as soon as possible.
Please fill out and return your survey today! Thank you!
Continue reading to learn more about CDBG grant funding.
What type of projects can the grant funds be used for?
CDBG grant funding is available for water and sewer projects, housing rehabilitation, community facilities, demolition of residential buildings, downtown commercial building rehabilitation, and economic development job creation. Each category has different requirements, but all applications must meet one of the following national objectives:
1) the project benefits low to moderate income individuals;
2) the project removes or prevents slum or blight conditions;
3) the project eliminates an urgent need created by a disaster when local funds are unavailable.
How much grant funding is available?
The City can qualify for up to $600,000 in grant funds in the water and sewer project category. The other categories range from $400,000 to $25,000.
How long is an income survey valid to use for CDBG grant applications?
If the survey results meet CDBG requirements, the survey can be used for multiple applications in multiple years until the 2020 federal census information is published.
How many applications can the City submit each year?
The City can submit only one application per year from the categories of water and sewer projects, community facilities, and housing rehabilitation. Other application categories have different requirements.
What project will the City be applying for?
Once the survey is completed, a public hearing will be held to consider which project will be submitted for funding. One of the potential projects will be the replacement of the water reservoir in the Glade wellfield. The replacement of this water reservoir is being mandated by the Kansas Department of Health & Environment. The cost of the new reservoir structure will be in excess of $800,000. Other projects might include street repairs, community building repairs, and many others.
What do I need to do now?
Please complete and return the survey to the Phillipsburg City Office as soon as possible. The goal is to have this portion of the grant application procedure completed no later than the end of May. If you have questions or would like your survey picked up, please call Brenda Chance at (785) 543-5234 or bchance@cityofphillipsburg.com. Your survey response is very important! Thank you for helping your City!