Polk to hear from public on its annual transportation grant

COLUMBUS—Polk County residents have a chance next Monday, Sept. 9 to make comments on a grant for the county transportation department. 

The public hearing will be at 7 p.m. in the R. Jay Foster Hall of Justice, located on the second floor of the Womack building in Columbus at the beginning o the commissioner’s regular meeting. 

The county is applying for its annual grants from the North Carolina Department of Transportation. This year, the county is applying for $253,621 for administration, to help pay for the program manager and assistant; fleet technician-monitor position (to be reimbursed at 40 percent); administrative supplies and functions and changes from the previous fiscal year because of increases in salaries from the Jan. 2020 proposed raises. 

The grant are for fiscal year 2020-2021, which will begin next July 1. 

Administrative grants are reimbursed 80 percent federal, 5 percent by the state and 15 percent from the county. 

Vehicles and other capital for next year is proposed at $147,790. The county plans to replace three vehicles which will have met their useful life by July 2020, including one van with lift, one 5-passenger mini-van and one life equipped conversion van. The grant will also replace lettering on vehicles, estimated at $7,500, as well as $2,470 for computer replacement and an extra monitor. The consolidated capital grant is reimbursed 80 percent federal, 10 percent by the state and 10 percent by the county. 

The total costs is $401,411, with the county paying $52,823 for its share for the transportation department. 

Commissioners will have to approve a resolution to apply for the grants. The grant applications are due on Oct. 4.