Council authorizes Borger Inc. application for up to $4 million EDA grant to make enterprise park "shovel ready"

The Borger City Council at its March 18 meeting approved resolution R-005-25 authorizing Borger Inc. to submit an application to the U.S. Economic Development Administration for a grant to improve infrastructure in the enterprise park.

Borger Inc. staff presented the application as a $4,000,000 request to improve SBS Road and extend utilities to make the enterprise park “shovel ready.” A Borger Inc. representative explained the improvements would include a three-lane arterial with a center-turn lane, concrete intersections at critical points and a deeper road base to support higher load-bearing capacity for commercial and heavy-equipment access. The presenter said the application is written for a roughly $4 million total and that Borger Inc. hopes the award will be in the $3–4 million range.

Council members asked whether the road would support heavy equipment and whether the grant requires a local match. Staff said the design is intended to an arterial standard to support heavier loads and that the program currently expects a 50/50 federal-local match; the presenter noted the EDA is reviewing the program and the final match could move to about 30–40 percent local share.

A council member moved to approve resolution R-005-25 and to allow execution of necessary documents to complete the application process; a second was recorded and the mayor declared the motion passed on voice vote.

Staff noted the project would span multiple fiscal years if the grant is awarded and that detailed engineering would follow award and procurement.

Action: The council approved resolution R-005-25 authorizing Borger Inc. to apply for an EDA grant to improve SBS Road and related infrastructure.