THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 23, 1995 TAG: 9507210228
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MAC DANIEL, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 81 lines
After a short bout of dissent, the City Council last Wednesday allocated $123,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant funds to three local projects.
Another $50,000 in CDBG funds remains unused because the Palmyra sewer extension project was dropped after becoming ineligible for federal funds.
After the council deadlocked as to what to do with the money, they asked City Manager Myles E. Standish to report back to them as to how that money could be best spent.
Shortly after the CDBG funds were to be considered, Vice Mayor Curtis R. Milteer made a motion to spread the money among the following projects:
$100,000 to begin the design phase of a sewer project along Nansemond Parkway from the U.S. Route 58 bypass to the intersection of Wilroy Road.
$10,000 to construct or rehabilitate softball diamonds in high-density, low-income areas of Suffolk.
$13,000 to improve parking and lighting at the East Suffolk Complex.
There was some minor dissent from Councilwoman Marian ``Bea'' Rogers, who said she did not believe that lighting and parking at the complex was ``proper use'' of CDBG funds.
Rogers later asked the council to use the extra $50,000 to begin designing sewer lines for the Holly Acres and Respass Beach areas of northern Suffolk. The council did not heed her suggestion and voted unanimously to back Milteer's motion.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development gives localities CDBG funds to help lower and middle income areas of the city. The funds can be used for a wide array of projects as long as they meet federal criteria.
The city of Suffolk has historically used these federal funds to pay for extending sewer and water lines in low-income neighborhoods.
A total of four proposals were received by the council at their July 7 meeting. A $100,000 request from the MECCA Foundation and a $50,000 request from the proposed Grace Home for Children were not allocated any money.
The MECCA Foundation had requested $100,000 to create a revolving loan fund to help Huntersville with a comprehensive revitalization project sponsored by the city.
Carrie Davis of the Grace Home for Children asked that the $50,000 she requested go toward start-up costs for her proposed home for abused and neglected children.
The council was given two options to use the federal funds. One option would continue to use CDBG funds to pay for eligible water and sewer line extension projects. The other option would consider other community development projects. Wednesday's vote was one of the first times the city has not strictly obligated all CDBG money to sewer or water extension projects. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic
THE CDBG PROPOSALS
Extend sewer lines along Nansemond Parkway, from the Route 58
Bypass to the intersection with Wilroy Road. Residents along
Nansemond Parkway and in the neighborhoods of Lake Forest and Cedar
Lake Shores will benefit. Paul C. Gillis of the Wilroy Civic
League asked for no specific amount.
Provide lighting and parking at the East Suffolk Complex The
center provides community services, including youth camps,
blood-pressure screening and on-site tutorial programs. ACTION Inc.
(All Citizens Taking Initiatives on Needs) sponsored the proposal
and asked the council for $15,000.
The Grace Home for Children is a proposed facility for abused,
neglected and homeless children. It would provide temporary housing
and support services to children in crisis. The facility would be
based in Chuckatuck and would serve up to eight children ages 4 to
17. The facility asked for $50,000 for start-up costs.
The MECCA Foundation asked for $100,000 to provide
``comprehensive community revitalization to the Huntersville
neighborhood.'' Through property acquisition, demolition and
rehabilitation, the foundation hopes to allow Huntersville to
rebuild itself. The group proposed leveraging $500,000 from the
Virginia Housing Development Authority with the money from the CDBG
funds. The activity in Huntersville would benefit about 140
households.
by CNB