After considering 11 projects submitted by community members and borough staff for Wrangell’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application, the assembly selected the Stikine Middle School roof replacement as its top priority at the Oct. 24 meeting.
Most of the middle school roof hasn’t been replaced since 1995, and the roof’s substrate has begun to warp after 28 years of water absorption. The estimated cost is $1.475 million.
The CDBG is a federal program that provides financial assistance for low- to moderate-income communities seeking to create jobs, improve public facilities, plan projects, foster economic development and support the health and safety of residents.
The grants are available to communities where at least 51% of residents qualify as low- to moderate-income. With 52.8% qualifying residents, Wrangell is eligible for the program by a slim margin.
School District Maintenance Director Josh Blatchley spoke in support of the roofing project at the public hearing Oct. 24. “I think the structures of the building are important and we can maintain those,” he said. “The roofs are a good idea and the siding is a good idea on all the school buildings.”
The borough’s other proposed projects ranged in price from $100,000 to $1.5 million and borough staff recommended selecting one on the more expensive end of the spectrum to maximize the usefulness of any potential funding.
The roofing replacement’s urgency, high price tag and competitiveness as a candidate for the grant made it the borough’s top priority.
“I think this project would have a very good chance at scoring high,” said Capital Facilities Director Amber Al-Haddad. “Anything where you’ve got children involved … (is) well received in this program.”
There is also no question that the roofing project would benefit residents in the income brackets that the program seeks to target.
In the past, the borough has received CBDG funding for the Parks and Recreation community center and high school — “those are community facilities,” said Al-Haddad. The program “(likes) those types of projects.”
If awarded a CDBG grant, the borough would receive up to $850,000 and would have to come up with $625,000 toward the roofing project’s total cost.
Awards will be made in February 2024, though the funds would not be available until grant negotiations and an environmental review are complete.
This year, about $2.5 million in CDBG funds are available throughout the state.
Though Mayor Patty Gilbert had considered the CDBG program as a possible funding source for road repairs, the assembly didn’t select the $1.5 million lower McKinnon Street reconstruction project because it was less compatible with the requirements of the grant.
The question that the program will be asking, explained Al-Haddad, is “will your road project have a big impact on low- to moderate-income persons. Some road projects would probably have a larger impact than others.”
Other projects submitted by staff and community members included repairs to the Senior Center or community center, a swimming pool roof replacement, updates to the Kyle Angerman Playground, sidewalk and trail construction projects and others.
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