Amador County – The City of Jackson had two significant grant announcements over the past week, and is working on a third. ¶ City Manager Mike Daly said on the heels of the Marcucci Lane Slab Bridge Project completion, an $885,000 project funded by the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, Jackson has received more good news related to applications and other grant funded projects ready to begin.
State Housing and Community Development announced that Jackson has been awarded another round of first-time homebuyers grant funding in the amount of $700,000. This is the fifth round of funding the City has received from this program, bringing the total amount awarded to over $3.7 million.
The program provides financial assistance to income-qualifying households for the down-payment required to purchase a home in the City of Jackson. The City has assisted with 20 loans dating back to 2004. Details on the application process will be developed once the City has received its official notice of award and all pre-award requirements have been completed.
Daly said another grant award announced this week was the initial phase of the Transportation Enhancement Act funding for the Kennedy Tailing Wheel Preservation project. California Transportation Commission approved funding for environmental and preliminary engineering for the project, which will reconstruct a structure around Tailing Wheel Number 4 and make other improvements at Kennedy Tailing Wheel Park to improve the interpretive signage, construct access improvements and enable all visitors to better appreciate the significance of these iconic structures that remain from the hard rock mining days in the region.
The City has organized a “Save the Wheel” committee to work on local fundraising projects to raise the matching funds required for this $596,000 grant, which includes construction of the structure. The new building will replicate the structures that originally housed each of the four tailing wheels, but will have one transparent side to allow visitors to see the tailing wheel from the outside. The City has a special “Save the Wheel” website linked on its homepage where more information can be obtained.
One other grant activity occurring soon is the replacement of more than 30 streetlights with energy efficient LED lighting. The City received a $24,000 grant from the California Energy Commission as part of the Recovery Act funding for this project.
Daly said the LED lights will be installed on Mission Boulevard, Placer Drive, Gordon Place and portions of other neighborhoods. In addition to paying all of the costs for purchase and installation of these lights, this project will create over $700 per year in energy savings for the City of Jackson.
Jackson city offices will be closed Friday, Dec. 23 and next Friday Dec. 30 for furlough days, Mondays, Dec. 26 for Christmas, and Jan. 2 for New Year’s Day.
Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
