Resources are coming for Newton Grove’s wastewater treatment plant electrical project after the town’s Board of Commissioners voted unanimously in favor of adopting a resolution that will provide $331,000 to replace the electrical panels that run the pumps and treat the wastewater.
The special meeting for Newton Grove lasted less than five minutes, with Mayor Craig Warren giving an overview of the resolution for the 2023 Appropriations Act to the commissioners and the public.
The mayor then asked if there were any questions. Commissioners had none, though Commissioner Chris Raynor noted he thought the town should “move forward.”
The board voted unanimously in favor of adopting the resolution, and the meeting was adjourned with the mayor explaining it would probably be December before the project could “get going.” He added that was why it was important not to wait until the regular monthly town meeting to discuss the issue.
“So Merry Christmas,” he said.
Signed into law by President Joe Biden in December 2022, the 2023 Appropriations Act set major state spending priorities, including a notable allocation of $2 billion directed toward local water and sewer infrastructure grants administered through the state’s Department of Environmental Quality
In a follow-up interview, Warren shared that this was “big” for the town and that “we are just ecstatic.”
He explained that Newton Grove has been waiting for 18 months to receive funding to move forward with this phase of updating its wastewater treatment plant. Last week, the town was approached with a grant opportunity, but there was not a resolution in place to accept the funding.
The mayor stated that the process between accepting the funding and repairs beginning can be long, and the town didn’t want to lose two weeks waiting for the next meeting.
The $331,000 will replace the electrical panels in the wastewater treatment plant that run the pumps, which the mayor described as the “heart of the plant.”
“It’s big for us,” he emphasized.
At the previous Newton Grove town meeting, Public Works Director Glenn Holland presented the board with an update about the wastewater treatment plant’s need for repairs, which this grant will make possible, at least in part.
Holland pointed out at the Aug. 10 meeting that “it’s cheaper to go ahead and start upgrading” when discussing repairs needed at the plant.
He told commissioners he wants to apply for funding to begin the process because he believes the town will need additional wastewater capacity.
“If there are more funds to apply for, go for it,” Raynor urged at the Aug. 10 meeting, after Holland explained how long the process could take.
“If they tell us we’ve got it in 2027, we probably won’t see the work start until 2029,” Raynor added.
Additional funding is still needed to expand Newton Grove’s plant capacity, but the town board and the mayor are looking ahead to the impact the electrical repairs will make with this grant funding.
Newton Grove’s next regular meeting will be Sept. 14, where further updates about this project will be given by Warren.