Dilley council approves application to seek $750,000 CDBG funds, reviews $500,000 water-plant grant

The Dilley City Council on Oct. 15 approved Resolution No. 24-15 authorizing submission of a Texas Community Development Block Grant application to the Texas Department of Agriculture for the Community Development Fund. The resolution authorizes staff to submit a preliminary application for up to $750,000; staff recommended committing a 5% local match ($37,500) and said some or all of that match may be provided as in-kind contributions pending engineer review. The motion to approve the resolution was made by Mr Aranda and seconded by Nelda Rodriguez; the motion carried.

City Administrator Henry Arondo told council the application process is staged: the city submits a community application between September and December and, if invited, later submits a project application in spring or summer 2025. "If we get awarded later we can determine what can be in kind and what cannot be in kind," Arondo said, adding that in-kind match could include employee time, equipment, or city-owned land.

At the same meeting Arondo also reported that the city is receiving a separate $500,000 grant for water-treatment-plant improvements (described in the meeting as funds to replace an aerator, expand clear-well capacity, upgrade variable-frequency drives, and permanently install a generator and automatic-transfer switch). Council discussed that the recommended local match for the $750,000 CDBG application could be provided partly or wholly as in-kind contributions and asked staff to work with engineers to determine allowable in-kind items.

The council approved the resolution and instructed staff to proceed with application steps and to prepare any required public hearings if the city advances to the project-application stage.