Date: Fri 23-Oct-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Bennett-Small-Cities-grant

Full Text:

Town Urged To Try Again For Small Cities Grant

BY STEVE BIGHAM

Art Bennett went before the Board of Selectman Monday night to urge it to

reapply for next year's federal Small Cities grant.

The chairman of the town's Persons With Disabilities Committee believes the

opportunity is too good to pass up. The half million dollar grant includes

$261,000 for improvements to handicapped accessibility.

The town had applied for the grant last year, but was denied. According to the

first selectman's office, Newtown was second on the list when the money

finally ran out. The town had planned to use much of the grant to improve

accessibility at Edmond Town Hall and the Cyrenius Booth Library. The

remaining $238,000 was to be used in the renovation of single-family houses of

low- and moderate-income families.

"Let's give it another shot," Mr Bennett said. He has determined that 1,150

Newtown residents would be served by the grant. Edmond Town Hall needs a new

elevator, new door knobs (automatic door openers) and lower counter tops. The

current counters are much too high for those in wheelchairs, he said.

Mr Bennett said the grant might even help reimburse the town for the cost of

constructing library handicapped parking.

Elizabeth Stocker, community development director, also spoke in favor of

re-applying for the grant.

Last year, the state Department of Economic and Community Development received

131 applications from towns for $28 million of grant funding, making the grant

awards very competitive, according to Patricia Downs of the agency.