Gov. Heineman has announced that Dorchester will receive funding to upgrade its aging sewer system. The news comes as the state prepares to distribute infrastructure dollars that were included in the $800 billion federal stimulus package last month. With the help of the federal funds, the village will complete a retention lagoon and wastewater treatment facility that will replace the old mechanical treatment plant. Total cost of Dorchester's project is $1.03 million.
Dorchester's share of the funds will come from a pool of about $40 million for drinking water and wastewater projects across the state. About $21 million will go towards priority improvements to wastewater treatment facilities in 16 cities, including Dorchester and Western. Another $19.5 million will go towards public drinking water systems in 28 communities, including Friend and Pleasant Dale.
“These projects meet two important criteria,” Gov. Heineman said. “They represent some of the most pressing needs for communities and are projects that are ready to move forward.”
The federal stimulus dollars will provide Dorchester and other communities only a portion of the necessary funding. Stimulus funds will be combined with millions of dollars from the Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund -- also provided by the federal government -- to provide cities with a combination of loans and grants.
Half of Dorchester's funding package ($516,000) will be a low interest loan provided by existing state CWSRF funds. About 25 percent ($258,250) will be in the form of a no-interest loan from the stimulus funds; another 25 percent ($258,250) will be a grant from the stimulus funds. According to the governor, leveraging of loan and grant funds will reduce the burden for taxpayers in the communities with wastewater projects. For example, a city receiving $4 million of combined funding would be responsible for repaying $3.4 million over 20 years.
We at the Times recognize the good work of our village board members who ensured that Dorchester's sewer project was "shovel ready" and alerted the state of our community's need for assistance. They deserve our kudos.
I don't live in Dorchester but this is really good news for the citizens of Dorchester.
ReplyDeleteMost Nebraska towns have sewer systems that are 80 or 90 years old. Dorchester will be ahead of the curve with this improvement.
Good report by the way. This blog is the future of journalism and community reporting in case you haven't noticed what's happening in the world of newspapers.
Hmmmmmm. Maybe this is a little bit of return on the 30% the feds take from my paycheck every week. Too bad they're breaking the bank and making the dollar worth about as much as toilet paper.
ReplyDeleteto anonymous
ReplyDeletesomeone should thank Ed for the work he does with the sewer project. I am sure that he spent a lot of time working on this project.
People dont realize what he does for the community.
When he retires this community is going to be hurting
For those whose hard work resulted in Dorchester receiving a share of the Stimulus Funds, I say "Good Work"!! Although I have been away from Dorchester for almost 60 years, my heart is still there and I appreciate everything that is being done to help keep my home town in good shape. Once the sewer system is improved, then the citizens can start positive conversation regarding paving the streets. Again, thank you to those who care about Dorchester.
ReplyDeleteAccording to "Boomtown USA", the keys to big success in small towns are:
ReplyDelete• Civic leaders adopt a can-do attitude that promotes change.
• Political leaders adopt and clearly articulate a vision for growth.
• Infrastructure resources of the community are leveraged to encourage new and expanding industries.
• Strong leaders are grown from within.
• Leadership encourages an entrepreneurial approach to growth and development.
With this development, we in Dorchester can claim a number of these points...
Congratulations on the stimulus money and kudos to Ed. However, I am concerned about all this pro-positive thinking that is espoused by therapists, self-help books, and some bloggers. This may be generational, but positive thinking is not always applicable…especially when it comes to public policy analysis. Sometimes you have to find the “negative” to correct the problem.
ReplyDeleteThere is an old saying, " Be careful of those bearing gifts."
ReplyDeleteBe careful that the "stimlus" does not tie the village to an even more uncertain future!
Perhaps we should call it polite conversation instead of positive. My intention was to encourage Dorchester citizens to discuss street paving after the sewer job is completed, but instead of all the hurtful comments, include all opinions in a positive, respectful way, or polite way whichever you want to call it. I believe this is what therapists and others are trying to encourage, instead of all the negativism that is prevailing.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Vested Czech, my suggestion to have positive conversation regarding street pavings was meant to discourage hurtful, negative comments that make decisions more difficult. Perhaps I should have used the work polite instead of positive. Bloggers, such as myself, therapists, self help groups, etc. are trying to discourage negativism which seems to be prevailing, and which makes angry folks angrier, etc. etc.
ReplyDeleteOf course one must listen to all opinions in order to make the right decision, especially when large sums of money are being spent. But----opinions can be expressed in a positive way, or polite way, if that sounds better.
To anonymous (8:26, 3/8)...
ReplyDeleteGood point, but the programs mentioned here and that are providing D-Ville with the funds are mostly innocuous. In fact, the feds provide the clean water fund dollars because it is they, via the EPA, who create the clean water mandates that we locals have to live by.
You bring up a good point. The Unemployment Insurance increases provided in the stimulus are a big crock. Oh sure, the unemployed will now receive higher benefits, and for another 26 weeks thanks to the extra federal cash, but when it runs out, the feds will require the states to maintain these extra generous benefits.
Guess who gets to keep paying unemployment taxes? The businesses, even the smallest guy, who will just close shop or cut his staff to compensate.
To Anonymous March 8, 2009 11:56 AM/March 8, 2009 12:07 PM:
ReplyDeleteThank you for the clarification. You make an excellent case. I may be making a BIG assumption, but your writing style leads me to believe that you may be a retired psychologist or therapist.
If you have been away from Dorchester for almost 60 years, I presume you are retired. However, you would make an excellent mediator. Until the recession, this was considered a "hot" career because of the anger you alluded to in your post. Many people do this on a part-time basis. Would you consider your home town as a test case? I look forward to more of your posts.
This is a great discussion on how best to approach public policy issues. I respect the positions of both "Vested Czech" and the former Dorchester resident. However, my favorite line comes from the late political columnist, Molly Ivins of Texas.
ReplyDelete"Well Behaved Women Rarely Make History"
Ummm......I wonder if the superficial politeness and conformity of the 1950's contributed to the anger we see today in the public arena?
ReplyDeleteRush Limbaugh will take care of our problems.
ReplyDeleteBring on Rush
Get a life, Al Franken, and stay on subject.
ReplyDeleteInteresting comment, Skeptic. Thinking back to the 50's, I don't remember any anger back then, although times were tough---still feeling the results of the 30's and WWII. My parents had very little money, but enjoyed gardening so much. We always had good homemade food on the table, no fast food. We all sat down together at mealtime and enjoyed each other's company. I don't know if you would call it superficial politeness, it just seemed natural to treat one another with respect.We kids had a lot of time to relax and day dream, we weren't continually phoning, texting, going from one project to another, etc. etc.
ReplyDeleteI guess we felt that we were all treated equally by parents, teachers, and other people of authority. We didn't expect a reward for everything we did, but still seemed motivated to do our best.
Perhaps greed contributes to the anger that we see in society today.Keeping up with the Jones', "he/she got the job I was more qualified for", "she gets more attention from the teacher than I do",etc. Also, bullying was not present in the 50's, it is rampant out there today, making a lot of young folks angry.
I believe I am way off the subject of Dorchester receiving stimulus funds so I'll quit babbleing.
To Anonymous March 10, 2009 1:35 PM,
ReplyDeleteYour comments are probably accurate for your family, and I am happy for you. However, I wonder if we did not begin to see the rumblings of some discontent with films like "Blackboard Jungle," the Little Rock Nine civil rights showdown and sadly, the Starkweather rampage. I also have first-hand sources in Wilber who tell me that the football team in 1958 or 59 walked out of school as a sign or protest regarding the football coach. Those hot-blooded Czechs! And to think, I share their DNA!
I was focusing on the early 50's when I made my comments. I graduated from college in 1956 and things were still quiet then. After that, I was so busy with my career that I guess I didn't notice the restlessness of the late 50's. As for your DNA, I can't think of anything finer than having a Czech background!
ReplyDeleteEven skeptics can be charmed!
ReplyDeleteNow this is a stimulus to be proud of!
ReplyDeleteFrom the Nebraska Community Foundation (NCF) web site:
THE HOMETOWN HERITAGE CLUB
recognizes friends who have made provisions in their
estate plans with a future gift intention of any amount
for NCF or an affiliated fund.
Marcia A. Boden
Dorchester
http://www.nebcommfound.org/AnnualReports/2008AnnualReport.pdf
Good for Dorchester, I hope its only the start of the state funding to help small towns have a bright road ahead.
ReplyDeleteThank you "Future Stimulus" for alerting us to the Boden "gift." Marcia, drop us a line and let us know what you've been up to. (How's that for a Nebraska colloquialism!)
ReplyDeleteConratulations on the stimulus and many thanks to Ed for all his hard work. I knew his late father and his lively mother, who still resides in Wilber. After reading the postings regarding public policy, I have one question: If polite conversation had been used, would the courthouse still be in Pleasant Hill? Thank heaven some spunky Wilberites were wagon-ready!
ReplyDeleteTo blogger March 8, 2009 12:07 PM,
ReplyDeleteYour point is well taken. I hope you join me in promoting positive conversation regarding other public policy issues such as immigration, etc.
This is for the former Dorchester resident regarding positive conversation about paving the streets.
ReplyDelete"Public discourse should not sink to the level of the gutter. Debate can be vigorous and animated,but in the end it has to be the cogency of the argument, and not the loudness and barbarity of language, that will win the day."
Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former Anglican archbishop of Capetown, South Africa