Staunton council allocates local funds to back $8.9 million BUILD grant for Uniontown infrastructure

Staunton City Council on Feb. 27 voted to allocate existing city funds as the local cost share for a U.S. Department of Transportation BUILD grant application that requests $8.9 million to rebuild streets and utilities in the Uniontown neighborhood.

Amanda Kaufman, assistant city manager, said the application requests $8,900,000 and covers a package of work including complete reconstruction of National Avenue south of the railroad, a new pedestrian-and-bicycle bridge at National, repaving of multiple neighborhood streets and a comprehensive water and sanitary sewer replacement. "We submitted our application with an $8,900,000 request in late January," Kaufman said.

The council approved a motion to allocate funds already identified in the city's five-year capital improvement plan: $1,898,002.63 from the water fund balance, $1,000,003.01 from the sanitary sewer fund balance and $500,000 from the Uniontown reserve. Councilor Vice Mayor Arrowood moved the allocation and the roll call recorded unanimous approval.

Why this matters: The Uniontown action plan, adopted in December 2023, identified utilities replacement and improved connections as top priorities. Kaufman said the proposed BUILD scope was developed with outside consultants and includes elements the plan ranked highest: utility replacement to eliminate repeated repairs, complete-street reconstruction and a safe pedestrian connection across the railroad corridor.

City finance and contingency: Jesse Moyers, the city's chief finance officer, and consultant estimates from Timmins Group put the full estimated cost for the BUILD proposal at about $14.4 million. Kaufman said the USDOT application asked for $8.9 million; the remainder would come from the city's existing CIP allocations for Uniontown (about $4.125 million for water, $4.125 million for sewer) and the Uniontown tax‑earmarked reserve (projected $739,000 on July 1 if the 1-cent allocation continues). "Timmins did provide healthy contingencies: 30% for the infrastructure and 15% for the repaving," Kaufman said.

Contingency if grant is not awarded: Kaufman told council the BUILD program's federal budget was reduced sharply after the city submitted its application (from $1.5 billion to $150 million), and that awards will be competitive. If the city does not receive the federal award, the water work could be carried out using existing CIP funds but the sewer component would show a $875,000 shortfall and the repaving and other elements would need reprioritization or alternative grants. "If we do not get it, this is what we're looking at," Kaufman said.

Schedule and partners: The BUILD award announcements are expected in July; if awarded, the grant allows four years to obligate funds and another four years to spend them. Kaufman said the full scope could be completed by mid-2030 if everything proceeds smoothly. The grant narrative was prepared with assistance from the Planning District Commission and Timmins Group; the city also collected letters of support from federal and state elected officials and local partners.

Votes at a glance: The council voted unanimously to commit the city cost-share amounts now identified in the CIP should the BUILD award be received. The roll call recorded: Oberholtzer, Woods, Park, Shepherd, Campbell, Arrowood and Mayor Edwards voting "Aye."

Next steps: Kaufman said the administration will return with formal appropriation steps if the federal award is made and will pursue alternative funding and reprioritization if it is not.

Ending: Council members praised staff for the application and for the work preparing cost estimates and documentation under a tight timetable. Kaufman asked councilors to send any questions to her while staff continue to pursue grants and finalize design estimates.