Town of Osoyoos council and senior administration were not going to pass up the opportunity to apply for almost $4 million in provincial infrastructure grants, so they called a special meeting of council last Thursday and did just that.
Jim Zakall, the town’s director of financial services, told council the provincial government has initiated new grant funding that closes effective June 1.
The town has two projects that fit the qualifications for this funding, he said.
The first project is the town’s main lift station reconstruction project.
“This project is to relocate and construct a new main lift station for the town’s sanitary sewer system,” he said. “The total project cost in 2016 was $3,440,000 and is updated to $3,610,000 due to inflationary prices.
“The grant funding request for this project is 80 per cent or $2,888,000 in grant funding and 20 per cent ($722,000) in sewer reserves. The town has sufficient sewer reserves to cover their portion.”
The second project is the southwest sector supply main project.
“This project is to expand the water twinning project so that we can begin to connect residents from system 9 (with the town’s municipal water system). The total cost is $983,000. The grant funding request for this project is 100 per cent.”
Both of these projects have been highlighted for completion in the town’s five-year capital expenditures budget and resolutions to apply for the funding must be voted on before the June 1 deadline, said Zakall.
Council voted unanimously in favour of applying for the almost $4 million funding.
“It seems like a no brainer to me,” said Mayor Sue McKortoff.
When asked when the town would expect to get a response from the provincial government about whether or not the grant applications were successful, Zakall said he expects an answer one way or the other between three to six months.
Construction on both projects, if grant funding is approved, will begin next spring.
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
