By Jeanne Sager
JEFFERSONVILLE — January 9, 2004 – The Village of Jeffersonville needs some help from its residents.
Village officials want to apply for federal grant funding to help cut the cost to taxpayers for a necessary water improvement project.
But according to Village Clerk Louise Gorr, there’s a catch.
Until the village can prove they have a financial need, they aren’t likely to get any handouts.
So the village is hoping residents will fill out a confidential income survey.
Results won’t even be handled by village officials, Gorr said. They’re sent to the Sullivan County Division of Planning for review, and no names are needed.
The surveys ask a few simple questions about household incomes.
If 51 percent of surveys show families in what is considered a low-income range, the village will be looked on more favorably for grants, Gorr explained.
But unless planning receives surveys from at least 80 percent of the village’s residents by January 15, they can kiss any grants goodbye.
Those grants would be used to construct a new transmission line and storage tank for the village water supply system.
The goal is to create a backup system, separate from the main water supply, in case a transmission line fails or just can’t handle the demand.
With 220 households in the village, a capital improvement project of $2.6 million has been deemed cost-prohibitive by the village board.
So they’re turning to the grant options to help cut the costs that will be levied on the taxpayers.
So far, the county has only received about 42 surveys.
They need a lot more than that, Gorr said.
Residents who do not have a copy of the survey can stop by the village hall on Center Street to obtain a copy or call Gorr at 482-4275.
Those with questions are encouraged to attend the January 14 meeting of the village board at 7 p.m. in the village hall.