City Of Stillwater Seeks Public Input On Use of Grant Funds

The City of Stillwater will hold two public meetings, seeking public input on how to allocate federal funding it should receive for the benefit of people of low to moderate incomes.

According to Grants Coordinator Valerie Silvers, the 2015 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Small Cities Set Aside Program, funded through the Oklahoma Department of Commerce by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, has approximately $97,000 for the City of Stillwater.

As part of the application process, city staff said they will hold two public meetings for residents to provide input on what types of projects they'd like to see funded. The first meeting will be held Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 11 a.m. at the City of Stillwater Community Center, 315 W. 8th Ave, Rm. 100. The second meeting will be held Wednesday, March 4 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the same location.

Silvers explained the primary national objective of the CDBG Program is to develop communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment, particularly for persons of low to moderate incomes.

"Over the years in Stillwater, the CDBG Program has funded street and sidewalk construction; tree trimming and removal; replacement and installation of water and sewer lines; street repaving; and drainage channel cleanup," Silvers said.

Projects and activities that CDBG typically fund include the following:

• Economic development 
  
• Park and playground equipment 
  
• Water and wastewater system improvements 
  
• Public facilities such as community centers, museums, or libraries, Solid waste Fire protection Streets 
  
• Housing demolition 
  
• Senior citizen centers 
  
• Gas and electrical system improvements 
  
• Removal of architectural barriers associated with handicapped areas
• Storm water drainage improvements

For more information or to share an idea, call (405)-742-8345 or e-mail vsilvers@stillwater.org.