Investments from the Delta Regional Authority will directly benefit four southern Illinois communities.
The City of Harrisburg is receiving $84,000 in DRA funds, with the city kicking in $20,000, to install a screen and install a lift mechanism for debris removal at the floodwater pumping station. Mayor Dale Fowler says this is a safety issue in an area of town prone to flooding.
"In extreme flood conditions they would have to lift this mechanism out of the pump station manually, which was dangerous. Now, (with) this electronic lifting mechanism, they'll be able to push a button, and all these floodwaters that have been held up by debris will now be able to flow freely under the City of Harrisburg."
The City of Grayville is going to extend a street at the Industrial Park to accommodate well service. Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity director Jim Schultz says this project will create one job and retain ten others.
The City of Sparta is receiving $91,000 from the DRA to help improve production and transportation for the community's largest employer, Spartan Light Metals. City Manager Corey Rheinecker says the city is pledging $545,000 for the project.
"Hopefully this will secure the 550 jobs in this town for years to come, along with an addition of a minimum of five, we're hoping for closer to 40, but, as this project proceeds and moves forward and develops, I'm hoping that we can develop even more than the five jobs that we plan on creating."
The Village of Energy is receiving almost $326,000 in DRA funds to reconstruct a major thoroughfare from Route 148 to the eastern edge of town to accommodate heavy amounts of truck traffic. Mayor Benji McGee.
"Currently we have an Energy Culvert Company, a nursing home, a park, a school, and possibly a new business coming soon, which add jobs. Our current oil and chip cannot hold up to the heavy trucks that we have traveling this road every day. Approximately 3,600 vehicles do travel it per day."
The DRA investments total more than $7 million.
