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Beacon seeks federal CDBG funding for Wolcott Avenue sidewalk repairs; public hearing to be scheduled
Summary
City staff said Beacon will pursue a 2025 Community Development Block Grant to repair and extend sidewalks on Wolcott Avenue, and will hold a public hearing so a letter of intent can be submitted to the county.
City staff told the City Council workshop the city plans to apply for the 2025 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) through the Dutchess County consortium and is targeting sidewalk work on the Wolcott Avenue area.
City Administrator Chris White said Beacon’s annual consortium allocation is typically about $190,000–$200,000 and that the application timetable is compressed: the city must file a letter of intent in February and the full application is due in March. White said the city engineer is scoping the Wolcott Avenue corridor between South Street and portions of Teller or Dinan (the exact project limits will depend on the engineer’s estimate and eligibility within the CDBG service area map).
“These programs are supposed to principally benefit low and moderate‑income residents,” White said, describing a multiyear approach the city has used to improve sidewalks in a concentrated neighborhood. The city’s recent CDBG projects have targeted sidewalks and curb ramps in neighborhoods with deteriorated pedestrian infrastructure, and White said the city hopes to connect new work with sidewalk projects already planned for Teller Avenue.
Requirements and timing: White said the letter of intent requires only a tentative project description and budget, but the formal application will require engineered plans, photos of existing conditions and a detailed engineer’s estimate. He cautioned that previous federal budget uncertainty has delayed past funding rounds and that awards remain subject to passage of the federal budget; the CDBG program year is shifting to an August start date.
Public input and next steps: Council members endorsed scheduling the required public hearing and suggested staff consider other eligible uses (public facilities, bus shelters, bike‑friendly features) for future rounds. White said staff will set the public hearing at the next council meeting cycle to permit the letter of intent to be filed on time.
