Shawnee commissioners unanimously close out federal COVID CDBG, pursue sidewalk grant, award water main contract and reject sewer bids

The Shawnee City Commission on a unanimous 7-0 vote Thursday authorized closeout of a federal Community Development Block Grant awarded during the coronavirus response, approved multiple transportation and inspection resolutions, awarded a watermain contract and voted to reject sewer-bursting bids that exceeded the city’s budget.

The most significant financial action was the vote to close out the city’s CDBG-CV2 contract. Petra Stefanoff, interim community development director, told commissioners the grant was awarded through the Oklahoma Department of Commerce for $1,200,894 and was used for mental health services, mortgage and rental assistance, nutrition assistance, utility assistance and related program costs. “This grant needs to be closed,” Stefanoff said. The commission voted to authorize the mayor and staff to sign closeout documents; the motion carried 7-0.

Why it matters: closing the books on the CDBG-CV2 contract finalizes federal reporting for pandemic-era funding streams that paid for local housing and human-services relief.

Commissioners also approved a resolution to pursue Oklahoma Department of Transportation Transportation Alternatives Program funding for the Wallace Street sidewalk project, which would construct sidewalks on…