Published: September 27, 2008 12:25 am      

Questions are raised about siren grants

Mary Lou Hinrichsen

Herald Staff Writer

CLINTON — Residents of Clinton County towns that were not listed as eligible for siren grants in Thursday’s Clinton Herald are asking, “Why not us?”

The list from the USDA Rural Development agency was released at a meeting of town officials in Charlotte Monday night.

Sheri Rice, USDA Tipton area specialist, on Friday provided this information:

Eligibility for grants is based on a formula, which uses data from the 2000 census.

For towns with a population of 5,000 or less the formula then looks at the median household income.

“Median,” Rice pointed out, is not the same as “average.” Median is the middle point between the highest and lowest household income.

In a town with a population of 5,000 in the 2000 census, a median household income of $23,988 or less is required in order for the town to be eligible to apply for a grant. The town could then apply for a grant of 75 percent or less of the minimum amount needed for economic feasibility of the project. A town with a population of 12,000 or less and median household income of $27,986 or less would be eligible to apply for a 55 percent or less grant. When the population is 20,000 or less and the median household income is $31,984 or less, a 35 percent grant or less would be possible. With a population of 20,000 or less and median household income of $35,982 or less a town could apply for a 15 percent grant or less.

At Monday night’s meeting it was announced that the following towns apparently would be eligible to apply for:

n Toronto, 55 percent.

n Wheatland, 35 percent.

n Lost Nation, 35 percent.

n Delmar, 35 percent.

n Andover, 15 percent.

Those towns, which do not qualify for grants, and Clinton County as a whole, could seek loans at 4.5 percent for up to 20 years.

Bids on the project are expected to be opened at a 6 p.m. meeting Nov. 17 in DeWitt.