Monday, February 11, 2013

Sheridan Gets Grant for Emergency Water Hookup

The City of Sheridan has gotten a grant for an emergency water hookup to the Hopkins Rural Water District, Governor Jay Nixon announced Friday. The grant was combined with three other towns. Due to the drought conditions, which have substantially lowered water levels in the region, these grants were expedited. Mayor Leland Wake told the Sheridan Express that the city expects to have the emergency hookup in place by mid-Spring.

The grant is to be solely used for interconnection with the Hopkins Rural Water District. The city is still in the process of getting a grant to overhaul their water system, which has not been upgraded since it was put in around 1950. That grant process is still in place. The city had been in the process of getting a combined grant for both the emergency hookup and the water system overhaul; however, the Northwest Missouri Regional Council had the city separate the two applications as they would have a better chance of getting the grant that way.

The city has purchased the former Trails End building and the former Laundromat building from their former owners, John Bainum and Roy Allee respectively. Mayor Wake said that Hal and Sharon Dowis and John Bainum were instrumental in getting that process done. The city can now move forward with plans to build a new community center. The city is seeking donations and ideas for the center, which will replace the current City Hall as well as the Trails End and laundromat buildings. The goal is to begin work by mid-summer. Interested parties can contact either Wake or councilwoman Mary Jo Riley.

The city raised their water rates by $2 at their regular council meeting this month. A reconnect fee of $24 will take effect for customers who have had their water shut off due to non-payment. Wake said that the city had to have payments from customers in order to operate the water fund due to the high repair expenses from last year.

No comments: