Gates County seeks state and federal funding as SRF, USDA and STAG options converge

Gates County staff asked commissioners to prioritize grant and loan applications in coming weeks to keep a bundle of water and wastewater projects moving.

Staff told the board there are two SRF funding rounds and recommended submitting spring applications with an April 30 deadline. "Because your fluoride is not exceeding the EPA limit of 4 parts per million...we're going to press hard on that," an engineering presenter said, urging aggressive application strategies and repeated reapplication if initial scores fall short.

County staff also described conversations with USDA about loan financing; staff said USDA can provide 30-year amortizations but typically at higher interest rates than SRF loans, and noted the county's distressed status could improve SRF competitiveness. Staff recommended pursuing SRF, USDA and other grant avenues (including STAG and BRIT) in parallel.

To keep emergency well engineering on schedule, staff proposed asking the state to de-obligate roughly $284,912 from a previously integrated campground-sewer project and move the money to Well 2A engineering; staff said they would draft a motion for the board to consider at 6 p.m. and prepare the necessary LGC packet.

Board members discussed legislative outreach and agreed to continue communicating with Congressman Davis's office and to prepare a more detailed packet for the board's June legislative appreciation effort.

Next steps: staff will prepare SRF and other grant applications, finalize a de-obligation request for LGC review, and coordinate legislative outreach.