A public hearing was held over a $550,000 OCRA wastewater/drinking water grant during last week’s North Judson Town Council meeting.
Executive Director of Kankakee-Iroquois Regional Planning Commission Edwin Buswell provided some information about the proposed Office of Community and Rural Affairs grant, explaining that it will be utilized for various water system improvements. He said the local match of $1,268,000 would come from the state revolving loan fund.
One individual asked about the potential impact this could have on taxes. Buswell replied that he believes the rate increase that was implemented earlier this year would cover the cost and no additional increases will be necessary.
Town Superintendent Marshall Horstmann elaborated on the needed improvements, saying they include rehabilitating four wells and bringing both water towers back up to OSHA standards with internal and external painting, repairs and sandblasting.
Another major element of the project includes purchasing a back-up generator for the water department. Horstmann said the Indiana Department of Environmental Management has a requirement about having a stand-by generator and the town currently doesn’t own one. He said in the case of an emergency, they could face some serious issues.
“So if we had a major storm or something come through where we’re going to be without power for three or four days or whatever, we’d be scrambling to find a portable generator from some place that we’d be renting.”
Since this OCRA grant is competitive, Buswell encouraged citizens to write letters indicating why these water system improvements are needed in the Town of North Judson. He said to be as detailed as possible to increase the likelihood of making an impact. Those letters can be delivered to Clerk-Treasurer’s Office at 310 Lane Street.
Another public hearing will be held over this matter at the beginning of next year, prior to the application deadline in February.
