Bonifay gets stimulus water funding

BONIFAY – The City of Bonifay received word that its stimulus funding is in effect approved. The Council approved submitting applications for the combination grant and loan at its regular meeting Monday night.

The City received a $468,816 grant and an $82,732 loan at very low interest from the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to help local governments finance improvements to wastewater, storm water and drinking water facilities essential to protecting public health and the environment across the state.

Notification that the City was on the state list basically constitutes approval.

The City requested a $618,000 grant and now hopes for a good bid for the project that would extend city water under Interstate 10 to Doctors Memorial Hospital and south down State 79 to support development south of the City. The City would need to fund $50-75,000 of the project based on the bids to be submitted by Sept. 10. Estimated coast is $686,704.

One possible source of City funds could be charging future developments tap fees and impact fees in advance. Several of these developments would benefit from extending City services south of I-10.

The project is part of the City’s long-term water improvement project and more funds would be applied for.

In other business, Council:

•Approved transmitting requests for large scale land-use changes for the former Raper Dairy property of 171 acres. The Raper Dairy property would change from county to city industrial and commercial comp plan designations for two parcels to reflect it being annexed into the city.

•Approved transmitting a request for a small-scale land use change from county mixed use to city commercial for the 13.5 acre Smith family property south of town. Plans are to develop an office park and hotel, with negotiations underway. This property has also been annexed.

•Approved renting the Rec Center to Tamara Leavins on Monday and Friday for her Zumba exercise classes. City Attorney Luke Taylor will prepare the papers.

•Heard Michelle Coe report that she has closed the Bingo hall on State 90 due to lack of support. She is negotiating to bring another Bingo operation into town or could set up some kind of recreation center for young people.

•Approved laying 4-inch pipe for the Griffin subdivision behind Blitch’s Restaurant. The developers would buy the pipe, two hydrants and other fixtures and the City would install 400-450-feet of pipe to connect the subdivision to the 4-inch line on State 79.

•Approved allowing the developers of Griffin subdivision to change the roadbed from limestone to a clay base.

•Approved submitting final plans for roof work on City Hall funded by USDA

•Approved checking on getting all City addresses on the E-911 map

•Approved paying the second payment of $47,111.10 for work on the rec center lighting system and giving a small extension to finish up work

•Approved sending out two cleanup notices