Carol Johnson, Southern Indiana Business Report
Martin County and the Town of Paoli are among 17 Indiana communities receiving federal grants to expand or create community facilities and improve water infrastructure.
Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs announced Thursday the rural Indiana communities that will receive $11.1 million in federal funding.
The Shoals Public Library received $500,000 to build a two-story addition on the rear of the building. The total cost of the project is $1 million. The project will include an elevator to provide full ADA access as well as new ADA restrooms. An expanded children’s area, teen section, energy efficiency upgrades and storage will also be added.
Library Director Sylvia Albaugh said it’s the first expansion of the library since it was built in 1914. The Carnegie library, at the corner of US 50 and High Street, has been serving Shoals since 1912.
“We absolutely need more space for programming and there is a need for the ADA elevator,” Albaugh said. “Children’s programming is a big thing and there is a constant need for patrons who come in regularly for online access.”
The two-story addition will measure 19 by 44 feet. The library was approved for a $500,000 USDA loan to cover the cost not covered by the grant.
The expansion has been needed for several years and plans began to move forward once the library was able to acquire property behind the building in 2019. Receiving the block grant was crucial to the project.
“The grant made a dream come true. It would have just been a dream without the grant,” Albaugh said. “We’re so excited for our little community. This is one of the biggest things that’s happened since our library was built.”
The library received funds from the Public Facilities Program, which is designated for community facilities that enhance the lives of residents in numerous ways. Eligible projects include fire stations, community facilities, libraries, museums, community centers and performance spaces that open doors to knowledge and ideas, culture and enjoyment.
Paoli wastewater project
The goals of the Wastewater/Drinking Water Program are to protect public health and the environment, reduce utility rates for low-to-moderate income communities, and improve rural infrastructure to enable long-term economic growth.
- The Town of Paoli is awarded $700,000 for improvements to the water utility system. These improvements include the rehabilitation of a 417,000-gallon water storage standpipe and a 1-million-gallon ground level storage tank. The project will also include the replacement of 20 of the largest and oldest water meters.
“I applaud the local leaders across Indiana who always take the extra step when it comes to bettering the lives of their community members,” said Crouch, Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development, “I look forward to seeing how each of these projects revitalize rural Indiana.”
The state of Indiana distributes Community Development Block Grant funds to rural communities, which assist units of local government with various community projects such as infrastructure improvement, downtown revitalization, public facilities and economic development.
“Quality of life improvement projects such as these can be transformational for our rural towns and cities,” said OCRA Executive Director Denny Spinner. “I commend the leaders in each of these 17 communities for investing in critical infrastructure needs to improve their public facilities, stormwater management and wastewater or drinking water systems.”