Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD): Park Street Housing Rehabilitation Project: Phase II
Phase two of the Park Street project includes the rehabilitation of five housing units, the substantial reconstruction of one unit and the clearance and demolition of one blighted unit, serving nineteen low- to moderate-income persons.
December 2022 – DHCD was awarded funding for the Phase II Park Street Housing Rehabilitation Project on November 16th, 2022.
Funding Awarded:
DHCD: CDBG: $687,968
AEP $35,000 Town
(In-Kind) $12,000
Total $734,968
March 2024 – The monthly Management Team and Rehabilitation Board meetings have been changed to the second Tuesday of each month. We did not have a quorum for February’s meeting.
May 2024 – The Management Team and the Housing Oversight Rehab Board voted to approve the rehabilitation of 326 Park Street and 308 Park Street.
July 2024 – Due to telephone issues with LENOWISCO Planning Commission, the Management Team and Housing Oversight Rehabilitation Board did not meet.
August – 2024 – 326 Park Street project is now complete.
Dog Park Project
August 2023 – The Planning Commission noted that the fence is damaged again due to a fallen tree. The Planning Commission also indicated that the latches on the fence were not closing properly. Factory to You Fence will be working to correct these issues. The Planning Commission is currently working on sign development and placement, placement of concrete benches, developing rules that will be posted onsite, and placing three dog waste stations.
February 2024 – Factory to You Fence has completed the repairs to the fence. The sign project can be incorporated into a planning grant from the Tobacco Commission and Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC).
July 2024 – Council has awarded $5,000 in funding through the FY 2025 budget for this project. The Planning Commission will be moving forward in developing signage and amenities for the dog park in the coming months.
Department of Criminal Justice System (DCJS)/ARPA Funding Grant
April 2023 – The Town was allocated $152,000 through DCJS/ARPA funding. The Town submitted the grant application on March 24th, 2023. Below is our budget:
December 2023 – SCTV has informed the town that the equipment has been received. SCTV anticipates installation to be completed in January or February 2024.
February 2024 – The security cameras for the Town Hall have been installed. We are expecting the security cameras for Grogan Park to be installed in a few weeks.
May 2024 – The security cameras for Grogan Park have been installed. The in-car cameras have been installed and the new tasers have been received. The training for the new tasers will be completed shortly. This grant will be closed in in early June 2024.
August 2024 – This grant has been completed.
Virginia Tourism Corporation: Marketing Leverage Grant
March 2023 – The Town applied for the VTC’s Marketing Leverage Grant. The proposed funding will be used to create a new website for our tourists: YourGateCity.com. The proposed funding will also include marketing and web page utilization funds for the new website. The total funds requested for the project are $15,000 with a 50% match from the Town.
December 2023 – VTC has awarded $10,000.00 to the Town for this project.
July 2023 – This project is nearing completion. We have received positive feedback for both the Town and visitor websites. Corporate Image, Inc. is currently working on our business directory.
August 2023 – Both ‘MyGateCity.com’ and ‘visitgatecity.com’ has been completed and online.
Request for Proposals: Scott County Historic Society Building and Wall Repair
May 2023 – The deadline for the RFP has been extended to April 5th, 2023. We did not receive any proposals. A local contractor is interested in the project but wants engineering plans for the drainage. Council has approved Mattern & Craig to develop a drainage plan. A new RFP will be developed once the drainage plan is complete.
September 2023 – Council has accepted Mattern & Craig, Inc. proposal to manage the project under the Town’s GES contract.
December 2023 – Mattern & Craig has completed the survey on the property and is currently working on designing the project. Currently awaiting on property owners to decide on easements issues.
April 2024 – The property owner has approved a construction easement but not a permanent easement.
July 2024 – Plans are 90% complete.
Decorative Street Light Removal
June 2024 – AEP will be installing the new LED lights to their poles on Jackson and Water Street starting in late July. AEP will install a few lights at a time. Our Town Crew will remove the decorative lights as AEP progresses.
August 2024 – AEP has informed that they will start installing the new LED lights in late September. They are behind on their work orders due to the recent storms.
United States Department of Justice (USDOJ) COPS Hiring Grant
June 2024 – The COPS grant is due on June 12th, 2024. The application has been completed and will be turned in on time.
July 2024 – The COPS grant was completed and submitted. We are expecting award notices to be received around October 2024.
Water Street Parking Lot Development Project
July 2024 – Spectrum Designs, LLC has completed a couple of site plans. They need feedback. I am currently working on scheduling a meeting time for the Economic Development Committee to meet with Spectrum Designs. *Note: ARPA funding must be spent or under contract by December 31st, 2024.
August 2024 – The Economic Redevelopment Committee met with Spectrum Design, Inc and Gate City Frontier, Inc on August 5th, 2024 to discuss the Parking Lot development project on Water Street.
2024 Comprehensive Plan
July 2024 – The Comprehensive Plan for Gate City is due by December 31st, 2024. The Planning Commission will need to adopt by December 3rd, 2024. Town Council will need to conduct a Public Hearing and adopt on December 10th, 2024. Both Council and the Planning Commission will receive draft copies by the beginning of November 2024.
Byrne/Justice Assistance Grant
July 2024 – The Town has been awarded the DCJS Byrne/Justice Assistance Grant. The funding will be used to purchase and install mobile data terminals in five of our patrol vehicles. The total value of the grant is $25,169.00.
Lead and Copper Compliance Program
August 2024 – In May 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released final revisions to the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR). The rule requires all utility services to create an inventory of public and private water service lines by October 16, 2024.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has required monitoring of lead and copper content in drinking water since 1991. The town’s water has been in compliance with safe standards since monitoring began.
The Town of Gate City must compile a Lead Service Line Inventory (LSL Inventory). The inventory must include the Town’s portion of the water service line (before and including the water meter) and the customer’s portion of the service line (after the water meter into the home or business). Lead service lines were primarily installed during the late 1800s through the 1940s with a federal lead ban effective June 19, 1986.
All municipalities in the United States are required to complete the Lead Service Line inventory. The Town of Gate City will be conducting a customer survey in order to gain information on the type of service lines going into their homes. Please watch for this survey in your next water bill. LENOWISCO has secured $25,000 in funding for the Town of Gate City to help complete the inventory.