Allegany County committee accepts $3 million pro-housing grant for wastewater project in Friendship and Amity
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Summary
The Ways and Means Committee voted to accept a $3,000,000 Pro Housing Grant from Empire State Development to fund roughly half of a wastewater treatment plant and collection system serving the Gateway development area in the towns of Friendship and Amity; local match and appropriation timing remain to be decided.
County Administrator Chris Knapp told the Allegany County Ways and Means Committee on Feb. 25 that the county had been awarded a $3,000,000 Pro Housing Grant from Empire State Development to support construction of a wastewater treatment plant and associated collection system serving the Gateway development area in the towns of Friendship and Amity.
"This will fund, just a little shy of half of your project cost," County Administrator Chris Knapp said, describing the grant as covering roughly half the expected cost and explaining the county still needs to identify the local match and appropriate the funds into the capital project budget.
Knapp asked the committee to accept and appropriate the award and to authorize the chair to execute contracts and other documents necessary to effect the grant, subject to county attorney review. Committee members discussed project estimates, funding sources, and timing. One member said the project "will help to further grant opportunities and private economic investment and development in the area also," citing the grant’s potential to leverage additional investment.
The presentation included several project figures from county staff: the transcript records a total project estimate of $6,960,000 when the award was first described and later references a total project cost of $6,000,000 with grant funds of $3,000,000 and a local match of $3,000,000. County staff said the final appropriation of the local match will be determined when the county decides its borrowing and budget plan for the DPW building and related infrastructure. Knapp also said the county has previously committed a portion of fund balance for economic development (a set-aside discussed in committee) that has been used as grant match in prior projects.
Committee members raised operational questions about grant reimbursement timing and fund-balance availability; Knapp said most grants operate on a reimbursement (claiming) basis and timing varies by revenue stream and the funder. After discussion, the committee moved, seconded and approved the resolution to accept the Pro Housing Grant and to authorize execution of related documents.
The committee did not appropriate the county match during the Feb. 25 meeting; Knapp advised waiting until the county determines borrowing plans for the DPW building and finalizes which line items will fund the match. The committee voted in favor of accepting the grant.
