published: Friday, November 21, 2008

Grants may bail out five flooding sites

By CHRISTOPHER TUFFLEY

christopher.tuffley@newssun.com

SEBRING -- Preston H. Colby, working on behalf of the city, presented the city council with an opportunity to apply for grant money from the Southwest Florida Water Management District for upgrades in infrastructure.

Colby said in 2004 a Sebring Storm Water Utility Study identified 25 locations within the city that are subject to repeated flooding from storm water.

Of those locations, George Fox, the city's public works superintendent, ranked the top five most troublesome.

The Highlands County Local Mitigation Strategy Working Group approved all five of the worst flooding sites for inclusion in the Initiatives (Hazard Projects) list for FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant project funding applications.

Colby said SWFWMD still has the project share program (Cooperative Funding) where flooding locations that have been identified by engineering studies may be eligible for 75 percent SWFWMD funding, 25 percent local match.

Colby pointed out that if the five problematic sites are submitted for both grant funding programs it is possible Sebring's responsibility could be reduced to 25 percent of the 25 percent match.

There is an application fee, $1,000 for the SWFWMD grant, and $1,500 for the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Program.

Because money spent on the 2004 study may be counted toward matching funds and the way the grants are structured and overlap, Colby said, "I believe you will have no out-of-pocket expenses, and we are excellently positioned to receive the funding."

That is because other counties have not been as diligent at keeping up with the situation, and are behind in paperwork that must be received by the granting agencies by 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5.

Grant applications are ranked in order of perceived need. Because other counties lag behind, all five of the county's troubled areas may make the top 10 list.

Total construction costs for the five projects are estimated at $1,745,500. Federal regulations require that the FEMA Hazard funds be given local vendor preference.

The five sites are: Mango Street and South Commerce Avenue; 534 Rose St.; South Pine Street and Rose Street; Pine Street and Fernleaf Street; Mango Street and Center Avenue; and 833 N. Franklin St.

The North Franklin Street has no drainage system at all, and the four other sites have drainage systems too small to handle large rain events.