BELLE — During a special Feb. 18  meeting between Belle aldrermen and Archer-Elgin Engineer Jeff Meadows, Alderman Steve Vogt made a motion to submit an official application for the $1 million State Infrastructure Program (SIP) grant awarded in August 2024.

“We never submitted an application for that to Bennie Cook,” said Belle City Treasurer Charro Reasor during a Feb. 25 interview. “He went to the legislature for us. It was awarded, and now we have to do the application and say where the money is gonna be spent. What it’s gonna be spent for.”

Reasor explained that the SIP funds were awarded backward in this instance. Funds were legislatively awarded and then the city had to request approval for the projects.

Meadows assisted city officials in filling out the application and amount.

“The money has to be spent by June 30 of this year. It’s already March, but we don’t have the money yet,” Reasor said.

The city will be expected to contribute a 10 percent match, the equivalent of $111,111, which can include in-kind funds such as work the city has completed on the water infrastructure over the last year. Officials said they already met the match between rebuilding a manhole and replacing the well pump in February 2024.

Due to the short timeline, the city included a longer project list to the state than it has funds to complete.

“So if there is a hiccup, we can move on to another project. They have five or six listed,” Reasor said.

The project list from Archer-Elgin was included in the regular meeting packet. Projects include:

Water line replacement along Highway 89 (Alvarado Avenue) from First Street to Third Street, $466,560;

Water and sewer extension to the OutKast Sports Complex, $217,800;

Water main connecting water tower number two to the south side of Highway 89, $420,840;

Fire hydrant replacement in various areas of town (materials for city installation, 50), $302,500;

The lining of old brick manholes in the sewer collection system (approximately 30 manholes in the system), $99,000.

The exact cost estimate is $1,506,700, though Archer-Elgin estimates the listed projects will cost approximately $1.7 million, though potential cost-saving measures to bring the total closer to $1 million include:

Reduce water tower number two connection project to major material purchase only, plus installation of Highway 28 (Alvarado Avenue) bore. City crews would then install the water main as schedule allows;

Reduce Highway 89 (Alvarado Avenue) water line replacement to the block between First and Second Street; and

Reduce quantities of hydrant materials purchased or manhole lining.

“We recommend including a wider list of potential projects on the application than the funding limit. This would provide additional approved projects, should the bids come in lower than estimates or if the design/permitting of a project prohibits meeting the June 30 deadline (Highway 89/Alvarado Avenue),” Meadows explained in his report.

Aldermen approved the projects with a 4-0 vote and completed the submission to state entities.