USDA Rural Development Wisconsin State Director, Stan Gruszynski announced to today that the Village of Crivitz, Wis., in Marinette County, was has been awarded a $50,000 Community Facilities Program grant to be used to upgrade equipment for the city’s Public Works Department in order to improve services to the community.
“The funding provided to the Village of Crivitz will help to improve services and increase safety provided to residents, and the greater community. Projects like this are what the Community Facilities Program is all about – improving the quality of life in rural communities through supporting critical community infrastructure and services,” said Stan Gruszynski, USDA Rural Development Wisconsin State Director.
Grant funds will be used toward the purchase of a new all-purpose public works vehicle. The new truck will be equipped to perform all related duties in a safe and efficient manner. The truck will be used for snow plowing, maintaining streets, erecting and maintaining traffic signs, clearing streets and properties following weather emergencies, and day to day operations.
"In these days of restricted revenues and increasing costs, programs such as USDA Rural Development's Community Facilities Program greatly assist the Village of Crivitz in protecting and serving our citizens. The grant we received in 2015 for our Police Department has helped them in better protecting the community,” said Crivitz Village President, John Deschane. “The new grant for our Public Works Department will allow us to continue to better serve the residents of our Village with safe, clean and well maintained streets year around. We thank Rural Development for their support in this cooperative effort to maintain our community."
Last year the Village of Crivitz received a similar grant, for $37,000, which was used to purchase a new squad car and upgrade equipment for the Village of Crivitz Police Department, improving law enforcement services to the community. The new squad car replaced one of the department’s two patrol vehicles that could no longer perform the functions required of the police department. Grant funds were also used to replace outdated equipment including; radar units, video equipment, portable breath testers, laptop computers and printers.
The Village of Crivitz first partnered with USDA Rural Development in 2008, when the Village received a $ 1.7 million loan and grant combination that was used to replace water mains throughout the Village, add a new well, and to renovate the Village Hall to create a closed board room, add accessibility features, and other needed improvements.
The USDA Rural Development Community Facilities Program provides financial assistance to eligible Public, Tribal, and Not-for-Profit Organizations for the development of essential community facilities. The program focuses on rural areas and municipalities of up to 20,000 in population. Loans, guarantees and grants are available to public entities for the construction, purchase, and/or renovation of various essential community facilities. These facilities include schools, libraries, childcare centers, hospitals, medical clinics, assisted living facilities, fire and rescue stations, police stations, community centers, public buildings and transportation projects.
Each year more than 100 rural communities in Wisconsin receive assistance from USDA Rural Development for community improvement and public safety-related projects.
USDA Rural Development’s funding continues to have a dramatic impact on rural communities across Wisconsin. During the past year, USDA Rural Development invested nearly $577 million on essential public facilities, small and emerging businesses, water and sewer systems, and housing opportunities throughout rural Wisconsin. The agency’s investment helped create or retain more than 1,560 jobs; aided 3,000 families in buying their own homes; and assisted more than 80 communities in improving community facilities and upgrading local infrastructure. USDA Rural Development’s mission is to deliver programs in a way that will support increasing economic opportunity and improve the quality of life of rural residents. For more information on USDA Rural Development programs visit USDA’s web site at www.rd.usda.gov/wi.