HILLTOWNS – Erica Johnson, senior planner/manager for the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission has announced two Community Development Block Grant (CDGB) awards for the southern hilltowns of Russell, Huntington, Chester and Middlefield, totaling $1.5 million.
Pleasant Street in Huntington received CDBG grant funding last year for the replacement of water, sewer and drainage lines on Pleasant as well as a new roadway and sidewalks. (Photo submitted)
The majority of the first grant of $408,000, which is specific to Huntington, is for water line replacement on Aldrich Avenue. Johnson said the road collects water and gets flooded. The grant will enable the town to replace the old pipes with bigger pipes and redo the road.
$20,000 of the grant will also be used for the design for a new ramp at the Town Hall. The current ramp, which enters into both Town Hall and Stanton Hall, is not compliant with ADA standards, according to Johnson. She said the redesign will give the town the opportunity to provide access from the ramp to the town green; which is currently blocked off from access. Johnson said the plan is to apply for a grant for construction of the ramp the following year.
The second grant is for $1,090,860, the majority of which will go to the town of Russell for road and infrastructure work. $495,000 is slated for retaining wall replacement on Pomeroy Terrace, which will include new guard rails, drainage and road work.
Also in Russell, an infrastructure planning project that will be looking at the whole town and all of the villages, including Woronoco, has been awarded an estimated $110,000. Johnson said the project, which will be contracted out for an engineering analysis, will look at streets, sidewalks, drainage, and sewers, and will result in an infrastructure master plan to allow the town to prioritize projects.
“The town realizes they need to look at it more holistically,” Johnson said, adding that they do great work in the highway, water and sewer departments, but that much of the work is independent of each other. “Hopefully, this will be our guide moving forward,” said Johnson, who admitted that she has wanted to do the analysis since she started working with the towns ten years ago.
Social services also received some of the $1 million plus award. The Huntington Food Pantry will receive $40,000. The Hilltown Family Center and Health Outreach Program for Elders (Hope), both under the auspices of the Hilltown Social Services will share $73,800. Domestic violence victim advocacy (Hilltown Safety at Home) will also receive $40,000. The Southern Hilltowns Adult Education Center, now located at 26 Main Street in Chester, will receive a grant of $85,500 this cycle for GED preparation, small business assistance and self-sufficiency classes.
The Housing Rehabilitation program only received $22,000 this year, partly due to unexpended funds from previous cycles. Johnson said there are housing rehabilitation funds available for qualified homeowners in the four grant towns of Russell, Chester, Huntington and Middlefield. These grants may be used for septic, heating systems, roofs, windows, doors, and porches.
“Now is a great time. We don’t always have funds available, but it’s great when we do. It’s worth a call if you’re interested,” Johnson said, adding that anyone interested should call PVPC at 413 781-6045 and ask for Shirley Stephens.
Johnson said a couple of years ago there was talk of the CDBG program going away. “It happens pretty regularly. But it’s a program that does so much across the country,” she said.
Instead, funding has increased for the program. “To go from real legitimate concerns of it going away, to the opposite now; some really successful years in the hilltowns – it’s been a great program in the southern hilltowns and throughout the region. We will keep applying,” Johnson said.
