The Hopkins City Council, at a special meeting Thursday, signed off on a CDBG project involving a new firetruck for the Hopkins Fire Department and the demolition of several abandoned homes in the city.
The meeting was supposed to start at 7 pm, but the council members got there at 6 pm and had a 90 minute closed session that had not been posted, keeping the Regional Council of Governments people and 23 townspeople waiting 30 minutes.
While everybody was waiting, Breanna O’Riley of the Northwest Missouri Regional Council explained the grants and answered questions from people. The city and the CBC are applying for up to $200,000 to demolish abandoned homes in the city. The CBC has identified eight owners who have expressed interest and were willing to put up the $500 match for the project. The money is not due and payable now; it is only due when a residence in question has been approved for demolition.
Grant City has looked into a building demolition grant seeking $300,000, but the higher figure is only for commercial structures. If the entity is pursuing demolition of residential structures, the upper limit is $200,000.
Previously, Grant City has had to do economic need surveys to determine if it is eligible for CDBG projects; however, based on demographic statistics, Hopkins is automatically eligible for the money. The CDBG program is designed for low to middle income communities.
The joint project between the city, the Hopkins CBC, and the Hopkins Fire Department will not cost the city money. The CBC is paying for the Regional Council’s share and the environmental studies on their portion. The Fire Department is paying the Regional Council for their part of the project.
If the project is approved, the next step will be to get bids and decide which structures are to be demolished. Under the rules, the owner has to have a clear title to the property and the structure must be vacant for one year, including no electricity or excessive water use. Many structures in Hopkins have a lien on the property, since when the water is shut off, the owner still has to pay monthly sewer costs which can accumulate into the thousands. It would be up to the city to release the lien.
Once the current project is done, the city and the CBC could do another such project next year and seek to demolish other abandoned homes in the city.
At 7:30 pm, Mayor Matt Wray and the four Hopkins Council members came out.
The Regional Council then did a community needs survey, in which people discussed the needs of the community. The following categories were rated by the people present:
Water System: – Fair, or “Antique,” as one citizen, Ed Drummond, put it.
Sewer – Fair.
Storm/Sewer/Drainage – Fair. One person noted that the Historical Society building flooded sometimes during heavy rains.
Streets – Poor.
Bridges – None.
Sidewalks – Poor.
Fire Protection – Good.
Police Services – Poor.
Code Enforcement – Poor.
Healthcare – None.
Emergency Services – Fair.
Parking – There are few restrictions on parking in Hopkins.
Community Center – Good.
Senior Center – None.
Sheltered Workshop – None.
Infant Daycare – None (Available in Pickering).
Mental Health – None.
Teen & Youth Center – Fair (In Transition). Student Morgan Pope restarted the Roxy Youth Center which had been dormant for almost 20 years. However, she has graduated from North Nodaway and a new board has been constituted to continue her work. The Roxy is currently undergoing renovations and repairs.
Drug Abuse Prevention – None.
Residential Rehab – None.
Housing for Disabled – Fair. Hopkins has a rural housing unit.
Single Family – Poor. There are few affordable houses for sale in Hopkins.
Education (Preschool) – Good.
Public Schools – Good.
Vocational Schools – Good. North Nodaway has recently expanded vo-tech opportunities for students.
Universities – None.
Continuing Education – Good.
Employer Based Skills Training – Some is available. It depends on the employer.
Entrepreneurship Training – None.
Job Creation – Poor.
Starting Business Assistance – None.
Out of that list, the Regional Council drew up a list of the top five community needs. Building demolition and fire protection were put on the list, since the city is applying for a CDBG grant for these areas. Others put on the list include water & sewer, streets, and housing.
Following that, the council took votes on the project. The council approved the resolution to apply for the CDBG grant with the CBC and the Fire Department for the demolition of abandoned homes and for the purchase of new fire trucks. The council passed resolutions on a non-violent response to civil rights protests, non-discrimination clauses, an agreement to comply with the ADA and a grievance procedure, an agreement with the Fire Department that the Fire Department was responsible for the maintenance of their vehicle, and resolutions appointing the Regional Council of Governments to administer the grant. Passage of all of these resolutions and policies were required for the city to apply for the grant.
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