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Village of Farwell advances $2.5 million WRI grant application to rehab lift stations
Summary
At its May 19 meeting the Village of Farwell Council heard a public hearing and voted to approve WRI resolutions enabling a $2.5 million grant application, with a $385,000 match from DWSRF funds to rehabilitate lift stations 2 and 4 and replace station 3. Council also approved an Anti-Displacement Plan.
The Village of Farwell Council on May 19 opened and closed a public hearing and approved resolutions authorizing a Water Resources Initiative (WRI) grant application that requests $2.5 million to rehabilitate lift stations 2 and 4 and to replace lift station 3.
Mr. Bott of Fleis & VandenBrink presented the planned application and said the grant request would be matched with $385,000 from the Village’s DWSRF (Drinking Water State Revolving Fund) funds. During public comment, residents raised concerns about how DWSRF bond payments would be handled; Mr. Bott responded, “payments would be made through the Water Fund after a rate study is completed by the Village's financial advisor.”
The council moved and approved Resolution 2025-09 (WRI Authorization) and Resolution 2025-10 (WRI Community Development Plan) by roll call; all trustees present voted in favor. The council also approved an Anti-Displacement Plan connected to the WRI application. The approvals clear the way for the Village to submit the grant application and meet application-plan requirements.
Why it matters: the proposed project targets critical wastewater lift-station infrastructure and would require the Village to provide matching funds and later address debt-service through the water enterprise. The council is treating the grant, the community development plan and the anti-displacement commitments as a package tied to federal/state funding requirements and local affordability considerations.
Next steps: the clerk noted that meter counts in the draft rate study will be corrected, and the Village’s financial advisor will finish a rate study that Mr. Bott said is necessary to establish how DWSRF payments would be allocated to the Water Fund. The council’s vote authorizes staff to proceed with grant submission; additional engineering and financial steps will follow if the award is made.
