USDA Rural Development Union City Area Office Director Joel Howard today joined Milan Mayor B.W. Beasley to announce funding that assisted with the purchase of new telecommunications equipment. Through USDA-RD’s Community Facilities Grant Program, the City of Milan received $10,100.
“We are excited to be a part of assisting Milan with the purchase of the new equipment, which will allow several city departments to be networked,” Howard said. “The previous system did not allow for interoffice communications.”
The new telecommunications system will connect City Hall, the Library, Senior Center, and Public Works and will also be incorporated in the Public Safety Building. The new system will be much faster and more efficient to operate.
Others participating in the event include Senator Lamar Alexander Field Representative Matt Varino, Congressman Stephen Fincher Field Representative Scott Golden, City Recorder Jason Griggs, Milan Senior Center Director Gail Branscum, Milan Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Julie Allen Burke and Executive Assistant Linda West, TNECD Northwest Regional Business Development Consultant Janna Hellums and USDA Area Office Specialist Brandon Orr.
USDA Rural Development is moving investments to rural America with housing, business and infrastructure loans and grants to create jobs and strengthen rural economies with an emphasis to assist areas of persistent poverty. Since 2009, the agency has assisted more than 1.5 million Tennessee families and businesses in 230 communities in all 95 counties of Tennessee, investing more than $6.6 billion through affordable loans, loan guarantees, and grants.
For more information on USDA Rural Development programs available in Northwest Tennessee contact the Union City Area Office at 731.885.6480 x 4. Visit us online at www.rd.usda.gov/TN.