By Shavonne Walker
shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

EAST SPENCER — On the heels of completing a CDBG housing repair and rehab grant, the town of East Spencer hopes to apply for another CDBG Neighborhood Revitalization grant. The board must vote during its Monday meeting to proceed with an application.

The meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. at town hall, located at 105 S. Long St.

In the last five years, the town has removed about 50 dilapidated and abandoned houses and repaired many more. The town has a chance to apply for the grant, which is being offered through the N.C. Department of Commerce’s Rural Economic Development Division.

The grant guidelines state the project must have a housing component that benefits low-to-moderate income households. The town hopes to tie this grant, if received, to the town’s investment at Royal Giants Park.

Components of the grant could include park improvements such as for playground equipment, shelters, or trails; neighborhood improvements such as greenways or sidewalks as well as new or improvements to community buildings.

Prior to application submission, the board must have two public hearings. The first public hearing was held at the May 21 meeting and the second and final will be held Monday.

The maximum award amount for the grant is $750,000. The town has been working with WR-Martin/Withers Ravenel.

The board will also:

• Receive an update on the Royal Giants Park project. The town had previously planned to have a grand opening of the splash pad in the first of June, but have been delayed because of plumbing in the bathhouse and activation of the phone lines for security cameras.

The town received a $15,000 grant from the Robertson Foundation that should cover the bathhouse and outdoor furniture as well as a PARTF grant that will cover parking lot, sidewalk and security camera expenses.

The town staff believes a private donor maybe able to fill in the gap for funding and preserve some funds within the parks and recreation budget to operate the splash pad through the summer.

• Consider approval of a CDBG Division of Water Infrastructure Grant contract.

The project will eliminate one pump station and install new gravity sewer and replace or rehabilitate 5,000 feet of 8-inch and 12-inch gravity sewer lines along the following streets: Andrews, Division Avenue, Torbush, Henderson, Geroid, Correll, Boundary, and Broad.

The homes in those areas have experienced backups into their homes from clogged sewers. A total of 1,715 people will benefit from the project, if the project proceeds.

Once all of the guidelines are met, the project could begin in April 2021 and be completed by May 2022.

The grant is more than $1.9 million.

• Discuss patch and paving of a number of streets. There is a tentative list of streets. The N.C. Department of Transportation is in the process of evaluating paving needs for state-maintained roads during the 2020 paving season.

Contact reporter Shavonne Walker at 704-797-4253.