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Chilton County considers applying for up to $500,000 in federal CDBG funds for road work
Summary
County staff told commissioners the county is eligible for up to $500,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding (10% local match) to support a roughly $550,000 road project serving low‑ and moderate‑income households; the application is due July 22 and requires a public hearing in June.
Chilton County commissioners heard from a county grant administrator that the county is eligible to apply for up to $500,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, which requires a 10% local match and would make a project roughly $550,000 in total.
"The county is eligible for up to $500,000 which you have to match with 10%," the grant administrator said, summarizing program rules and the July 22 application deadline. She said only a small number of awards are made statewide each year and that projects touching many low‑ and moderate‑income households are most competitive.
The administrator outlined typical eligible activities—resurfacing, chip seal and similar roadway work—and said staff have identified roads in the northern part of the county, including corridors that serve trailer parks, as promising candidates. She recommended working with county engineering staff (Heath) to prepare maps and a cost estimate, then returning a scoped $550,000 project for the commission to bless before holding the required public hearing, likely at a June meeting in the new courthouse.
Commissioners discussed options for packaging work to capture the minimum number of households and severity of need. "You want to have at a minimum 50 60 70 houses would be the minimum just to make it competitive," the administrator said, noting counties sometimes combine segments across districts or prioritize the worst road to maximize benefit.
Staff also flagged a procurement step: the county must advertise and bid for a grant administrator position as part of the CDBG process. The administrator said she would begin coordinating that legal advertisement with the commission so it will appear before the application period.
No formal action was taken at the work session; staff were asked to scope a project, coordinate with the engineer and return a proposal so the commission can schedule the public hearing and, if desired, authorize the application.
Next steps: staff will work with Heath to prepare maps and a cost estimate, run the required procurement ad for a grant administrator, and place the public‑hearing item on a June meeting agenda ahead of the July 22 application deadline.
