Mayor announces $100,000 Brownfield grant, Ward School cleanup and bridge contract award

Mayor Jack McCall told the commission the county received a $100,000 nonmatching Brownfield grant to fund investigations of three downtown properties: the former Pits building (roller rink), the depot and the downtown hotel. "We did receive a contract from the state, a grant in the amount of $100,000, which is a nonmatching grant to continue our Brownfield project to do the investigation of the Pits Building, the former roller rink, and the depot, and the downtown hotel," McCall said.

The mayor also reported the Broadway bridge project has been contracted to Veil Construction Company and that a coordination meeting of stakeholders is set next week in Gallatin. On the Ward School property, McCall said volunteers and contractors recently cleared the building and the state has offered to conduct lead-paint and asbestos testing at no cost to the county. "So far, we really been able to save some money on that project," he said.

The mayor said the Goose Gala raised funds to support downtown improvements and that he will meet with the county's architect to continue planning work, including early discussion of a replacement jail floor plan for possible firming by December. No binding procurement or contract award for the jail was authorized at the meeting; the mayor described ongoing planning discussions and volunteer clean-up efforts.

The Brownfield grant is nonmatching, the mayor said; the county's next steps will be to receive the state's contract paperwork and schedule the environmental investigations. Officials did not provide a timetable for final reports from the Brownfield investigation or firm cost estimates for Ward School renovation or jail planning.