The Lincoln Journal Star reports that Gov. Dave Heineman has announced $5.1 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding for projects in 35 communities across the state.
These grants are distributed as part of the state’s annual allocation of CDBG funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. As the Times has mentioned on several occasions, these grants provide smaller communities like Dorchester an excellent resource to address infrastructure challenges, including the paving of streets.
Point and case: One of the towns receiving CDBG funds is right down the road on Highway 6. Fairmont will receive $20,000 to undertake a streets improvement study. Regardless of where you stand on the issue of paving Dorchester's streets, it is difficult to argue against such a study.
Unfortunately, to our knowledge, the Village of Dorchester has never applied for a CDBG grant. Never. Not once. Nunca. (A little Spanish lingo for some our friends at the Crete News.) At least not in recent memory.
That our local government has never sought to tap this source of federal funding, which is up for grabs, is a shame. There's no other way to put it.
For a community to show progress and improvement, or at least maintain what it has, persistent leadership is required. But so is interaction from the citizenry. When is the last time you have spoken to a Village board member about the needs of our community? The staff of the Times pleads guilty as anyone to inaction on this issue.
So consider this our plea to the Village Board: We ask board members to please seriously explore grant opportunities and other assistance available at the state and federal levels -- for help with streets, water or sewer, or a number of other challenges. One simple call to the Nebraska Department of Economic Development might do wonders. And it won't cost a dime.
Also, a town hall held by board members would provide much needed communication between residents and village leadership. We think such an event in warranted.
In the meantime, we hope that we aren't the only ones sounding this message. We realize our elected local leaders aren't mind readers. Residents of Dorchester need to do a better job communicating.
20,000 will get a study done, but then where is the rest coming from???
ReplyDeleteI agree with the commentary. We at least need to study the street issue and we need to do it now. We may find that it only makes sense to pave a few select streets, perhaps those where we could attract some new housing.
ReplyDeleteTo Anonymous above: One study is at least a start. Being a naysayer and doing nothing will get us just that---Nothing!!!
ReplyDeleteI think a small town needs 3 things to have a great future .....
ReplyDelete1.) A good school (we have that)
2.) Nice homes and people willing to build new homes
3.) Close to larger cities with employment (we have that)
Any street paving study should look at possible housing development areas, too. I truely believe a few paved roads would mean some new homes in town.
Dorchester cannot get any bigger, we are only annexed for so much. Paving is not going to make much difference. If you look at the new houses, that have been built, I have never heard anyone say, the reason that they moved here is because we have no paving.We cannot get any new business, because the places, that are business here, are so run down, and they need so much work. Dorchester will survive, it always has. We live here because its a great little town, close to lincoln, its just a nice town, are town is growing, just little steps, what more can anyone ask. Paving doesnt make any difference to us.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who no longer has Dorchester as her mailing address, I long for the fair city of Dorchester to be paved.{I still patronize the businesses. Essentially Dorch is still my home.)
ReplyDeleteLet's not just target a few streets like in the past, but rather consider quality planned road construction for most village streets. Only then will the citizenry look at the neat streets and want to straighten out their own environment.
Some of us are willing to help write grants for studies, paving projects and other community improvements. I am for one. Let's move ahead on this. Village Board and employees, start talking and planning and soliciting some help. For goodness sake, you're elected to talk and plan and act on citizenry wishes. Where have you been? Weren't you elected to 'take risks'???
Pave, please!!!!!! There's a reason you can count the number of new houses in the last 20 years on one hand. (Compare that to Friend, Milford, or other small towns in the 30-mile radius from Lincoln.)
ReplyDeleteI agree with den mother. I also would be willing to help with the grant writing, research etc.... I am not much of a public speaker, therefore I don't attend many public functions; but I would gladly help behing the scenes. It is time to act, otherwise the next 30 years will be the same as the last 30 years have been since we moved to Dorchester in 1978.
ReplyDeleteAlso, why do you print the awful things cynical richard says? Some one that negative really has nothing to say worth listening to!