Grant to pay $350k for Howardwick paving

A $350,000 award for street improvements in Howardwick is moving forward this week as city officials met Tuesday night to authorize the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission to administer the grant.
City Secretary Sandy Childress said the Community Development Block Grant is exciting for the people of Howardwick and comes after a lot of hard work for the last three years.

“It just a good, positive thing for the City of Howardwick and the people here,” she said.

The success of the city’s grant application hinged on Howardwick changing the how its level of low to moderate income household were reported. The 2010 US Census over-reported the income level of the community, so city officials surveyed residents personally and discovered that more than 70 percent of households were of low to moderate incomes.

“We always got beat in the past based on the points system,” Childress said of previous attempts to get grant funds.

CDBG grant funds are based on need, and part of how a city shows need is demonstrating that its residents are of low to moderate income. The City of Clarendon is currently trying to survey local households for the same reason – to improve the chances of getting more grant funds.

Starting in August 2020, Howardwick surveyed its households and found 70.56 percent were at low to moderate incomes. It also proved the 2010 Census has over-reported the city’s population.

With that new information in hand, the city began working on the grant application in April 2021 and finally received approval in February.

“It was like a feeling that we’ve done really good,” Childress said of the news the grant was approved. “Mayor Tony Clemishire was super proud for the city and its residents because his whole focus is on cleaning up, better water, and general improvements for the city.”

The grant funds will be used to totally rebuild the city’s main road, Rick Husband Blvd. from about Porter Drive all the way to City Hall. Rick Husband is maintained from about Porter to Highway 70 by Greenbelt Water Authority.

Childress said when the work begins it may inconvenience some people, but the city will try to set up alternative routes where possible.

The city will provide matching funds of $17,500 for the project, and Childress says they are working on future grant applications.

The city also has used about $50,000 in COVID-relief funds to purchase a dozer and a dump truck to help work on other roads.

Childress is also still working on a petition drive to reverse a water rate increase from Red River Water Authority. Childress said residents have until March 31 to sign the petition and she encourages residents to come to City Hall to sign.