Warden to apply for $9.8M in state funds

WARDEN - Warden City Council unanimously passed a motion during Tuesday’s scheduled meeting to apply for $9.8 million dollars in funding from the Washington State Public Works Board to pay for city infrastructure projects

“You can apply for funding but you’re never guaranteed, so it’s a matter of what criteria are they using for that funding and how are they judging each application against you, so It’s always, you know, a roll of the dice if you’re going to get it or not,” said City Clerk Kriss Shuler.

Shuler explained that the city was confident in receiving funding for this application.

“We’re considered a distressed community, so that will bump us up,” Shuler said.

According to the Washington State Department of Commerce’s Public Works website, cities or communities considered distressed are eligible for reduced interest rates – according to Shuler, only 0.86% – and a percentage of the funding awarded to be in the form of grants rather than a loan. If awarded the $9.8 million, Warden could potentially receive up to half of those funds as a grant.

The three projects that might receive funding include renovations of a booster pumping station, tying together Warden’s east and west water mains and replacing the city’s aging steel water lines. All three target deteriorating and outdated systems that need to be replaced or renovated, which would then allow for more community growth and improved city infrastructure, according to Shuler.

“Our top concern at this point, in this funding project, would be the booster station,” said Shuler. “The pumps are not working properly, the building is deteriorating.”

Council Members deliberated over whether to apply for all three infrastructure projects Shuler presented, or apply for one or two of them instead and potentially increase the odds of receiving funding. Warden Mayor Tony Massa provided an alternative possibility on how the state might perceive the application.

“When they look at things sometimes, they’ll look at ‘This is a distressed community and they have a lot of need,’ and they would be more apt to approve it,” said Massa on applying for all three projects at once.

The council decided to apply for all three projects in a combined application for $9.8 million in funding and the potential for $4.4 million in grant money. Warden can only submit one application to the Department of Commerce, and if the state denies the request for funds the city will have to wait another year before they can reapply.

“This is something that’s bigger,” said Shuler regarding the size of the funding request. “We believe that we fit the program, we believe that we would receive funding…but we don’t always receive the funding that we think we’re going to get.”

Gabriel Davis may be reached at gdavis@columbiabasinherald.com.