Lewisburg to seek multiple state and federal grants to fund road, workforce and industrial-site projects

Lewisburg City Council on Tuesday instructed staff to advance several grant applications that could pay for traffic-signal upgrades, street repairs, workforce equipment and site preparation for an industrial parcel on Veterans Drive.

Debbie Montgomery told the council she plans to apply for a Tennessee Department of Transportation traffic-signal modernization award of up to $125,000 for the existing signal at 8th Avenue (locally known as Bowling Alley Hill). "There's no match," Montgomery said, and asked for a resolution at next week’s regular meeting because the application deadline is the first of next month. She also reported crews are ahead of schedule on poles for the West Ellington signal, with flashing lights expected March 29 and a final signal shortly after.

Staff also presented a Community Development Block Grant application for transportation and infrastructure work. "The final number has come in at $569,598," Clint said, describing a 14% local cash match requirement and an expected package that would cover about six streets, including Silver Street, Common Circle and 7th Avenue. He told council the match must be cash and that the grant application closes April 10.

Clint described a Tennessee Valley Authority workforce-development grant to buy machining and engineering equipment for local career-technical programs: "We're looking at about 80 students in the engineering program and about 50 in the related program per year," he said, and noted the deadline of April 4 with an expected award notice in late June.

Clint also outlined a site-development grant for the city’s veterans-property industrial site (about 98 acres), saying the full project was likely to be in the $1.7 million range with a 30% local match. He said state contacts indicated a possible 50% reduction in the match and asked whether the council wanted the city to partner with the Industrial Development Board on the match; the application is due March 26.

Council members asked for the usual clarifications — which streets would be included in the CDBG scope, the precise match source for each grant and whether in-kind contributions are allowed — and staff said they will bring formal resolutions and cost/match breakdowns to the regular Tuesday meeting. Several agenda items were placed on the regular meeting agenda "without objection," Mayor Jim Bingham said.

If awarded, the grants would fund a mix of immediate safety upgrades (a modernized signal), capital street work and equipment for workforce programs; the site-development grant would prepare infrastructure to market the industrial parcel to prospective employers.

Staff indicated they would return with the paperwork and formal resolutions needed for application and, where appropriate, further council direction on funding matches.