Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, August 26, 1993 TAG: 9308260310
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: E-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: NANCY BELL STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
When Clay Goodman became town manager in April, the grant already was in the hands of Community Development Block Grant officials.
But one of Goodman's first duties was to tell the people of the small community, bordering and frequently flooded by Glade Creek, that their project had not been funded.
He says it was not an easy job, considering the nature of the community's problems: frequent flooding, outdated water and sewer systems, inadequate water pressure, foul-smelling water and leaking sewer gas. The neighborhood lacks adequate drainage. Rats and other vermin linger around damaged sewer lines.
But Goodman, who came from a community with its share of flooding problems, told the people of Midway there is still hope for funds from the state's CDBG program. He plans to alter the grant and resubmit it before the deadline in the first quarter of 1994.
As former town manager of Buena Vista, Goodman secured funds for a $42 million flood-control project. He knows that persistence pays off. And, he says, the key to obtaining the $1.25 million needed in Midway is "to establish a dialogue" with state officials and alter the grant based on their recommendations.
Goodman and several members of Vinton's planning staff visited the officials soon after the grant was rejected and plan to return as many times as it takes `'to bounce ideas off officials," he says, "and provide a grant that fits more closely with the type of project the agency is likely to fund.
`It gets down to grantsmanship. We will do what the people giving the money would like to see us do to qualify for the money.
"The wrong thing for us to do at this point is to give up."
The rejection of Midway's bid for the $1.25 million grant is particularly difficult for the 225 mostly blue-collar families who live in Midway. Many have lost everything at least twice to flood waters since 1985 and have asked Town Council and the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors for help.
Residents volunteered to compile data for the grant, attended community meetings and passed out fliers.
Their efforts scored impressive points with the grant review committee. Ironically, the report said Midway's chances for being funded were seriously hurt because the community is lumped in with more affluent Roanoke County for income and demographic scoring.
"It's not fair that we're counted with the county for income," says Midway resident Chris Elliott. "We pay county taxes, but the county won't do anything to help us.
"Bring those people here and let them see what the county does for us - zilch, except for the schools."
Although discouraged, residents say they will cooperate with town staff in compiling information for the new grant. This means participating again in door-to-door income surveys and answering other probing questions that will help highlight the community's need for financial assistance.
At least two families say they will move from the neighborhood if the grant is rejected again.
"You can't just sit there and watch everything you've got float away," said Debbie Wilkerson, whose home has been flooded to the second story.
Even though optimistic about the project's chances for funding this year, town officials are warning residents that the grant will focus only on problems that have the most potential for funding and not necessarily on those that the residents identify as most pressing.
Asking residents not to give up, Assistant Town Manager Bob Benninger adds: "We must optimize the particular situation that we have. We can obtain a grant by winning five points here and 10 there, on down the line."
The 1993 grant, prepared by an engineering consultant, included water, sewer and housing rehabilitation as well as drainage and flood control. Goodman thinks the scope of the project should be narrowed and more clearly defined.
But he is encouraged that Vinton is willing to stand behind the project with $295,000 in matching funds, which also scored well for the town.
The grant program received $57 million in requests from 82 localities during 1993. It funded 32 requests, with an average award being $682,000. The Midway project missed being funded by a narrow margin, according to town officials and the report.
The town of Vinton has the opportunity to apply for the new grant as early as October, but Goodman says it will take until the first 1994 deadline to revise and resubmit the grant.
by CNB